


KHR! 11^Famiglia Prequel; Vongola no Uta

by Kiralushia



Series: KHR! 11^Famiglia [2]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Comedy, Friendship, Gen, Investigations, Romanticism, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-08-07 07:09:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 40,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7705312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiralushia/pseuds/Kiralushia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The life of a teen girl grew up in a mafia family is also full of adolescent problems and strange situations. It seems everything is going well until her best friend informs her about something she was hoping for so many years. It could be the time to forget the past and look at the future, maybe.<br/>Or maybe that news is going to change everything, instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Target 1 - The Truth

**Target 1 - The Truth**

****

 

Two children are crying in an empty house.  
Their father and mother can't do anything for them, the couple is lying lifeless on the ground, the scarlet liquid wraps them together in their unfortunate fate.  
The babies are still crying, they are looking for their beloved parents: since they were born, one year ago, they lovingly took care of them.  
Unfortunately, their parents can't get up and can't cuddle them as usual.  
They can't stand up any more, because Stefano and Elisa Luccini had been killed.

_"And now... what do we have to do?"_

The grandfather watches the two children with tears in his eyes. He is too tired to take care of them and a husband and his wife are willing to take in adopting the boy, but the girl should be taken care of by someone else.  
The man, tired and with the little girl in his arms, goes to the residence of the Vongola family, the great mafia family with whom they have always been allies, coming to meet the current boss: Vongola Decimo.  
When the man sees the infant, his look changes immediately: he's sad and destroyed but that news.

 **Tsuna:** ... Stefano-san and Elisa-san were two great people, friends and allies. Their lives were destroyed because of despicable people... I couldn't just stay and watch, knowing that this child will grow up without a mother and a father.  
He smiles, and Mr. Luccini finally could be serene because he has also found a new home for his granddaughter.

A few years later, the old man passes away while his two grandchildren grew, each in their new families.

_"If only I knew who ... Who is to blame ... "_

Yet, in the end it doesn't matter that much. Revenge is stupid and it doesn't bring anything good.  
They have to go on with their life, growing up and becoming stronger to prevent that such events could happen again.

When she opens her emerald eyes, she realized that she cried again.  
Why does she have to dream that fateful day every time? She was about one year old when it happened.  
The alarm rings, it's seven o'clock.

SEVEN?

The blonde girl jumps out of her bed and she slips quickly into the shower, then dresses up, bites a slice of bread with jam and grabs the backpack, leaving the apartment where she lives by herself.

While running in the street she fixes her white ribbon on her ash-blonde hair and stops when a black-haired girl gets close to her, calling her friend.

 **Arina:** Ah, Sonia!  
**Sonia** : Do you know what time it is?  
**Arina:** Oh please, you're late too, right?

They both laugh while walking to the private school they attend.

The day seems to pass quickly, as always she's the best in her classroom because of her intelligence, but it's no longer a news.

She stretches herself after the last lesson of the day, tired and a little sleepy, when she is surrounded by some of her classmates.  
\- Nee nee Arina, how about joining the cooking club? I know you can cook delicious dishes and we would like to have some more members! -  
\- No, Arina is very good at singing! Why don't you join the singing club? -

The dark-haired girl snorts, almost annoyed by all those requests.

 **Sonia:** Girls, please! You know that Arina has things to do in the afternoon!

Frustrated, the girls excuse themselves and leave her in peace, though they certainly are going to ask to her again later, since it's already the fifth time.

It's lunch time when Arina greets Sonia with a tired smile and reaches her apartment. Decides to cook a soup she eats with a slice of bread, then cuts a few slices of salami and drinks orange juice.  
After it she cleans the table and start making her homework when someone rings the doorbell.  
She stands up, puzzled, reaching the door and finding herself in front of a girl with black hair tied in two small braids.  
She knows her very well, and smiles.

 **Arina:** I-Pin-nee-chan! What a wonderful surprise!  
**I-Pin:** Arina! I'm glad you're okay, it's been a while!  
The blonde escorts her old friend in the house, offering tea as they used to do in Japan.

 **I-Pin:** How about your school? It's the first year of high school, right?  
**Arina:** Exactly ... five more years of torture and then I'll be free!

She chuckles, at the end she doesn't hate the school, indeed she really likes it and she likes learning new things. Anyway she finds funny to imitate her classmates, they believe school is useless and boring, as if it's a prison.

 **I-Pin:** I know! But you're so smart, when you were a child you always asked so many difficult questions for a girl of that age ...  
**Arina:** I have always been curious! Ah, when I was little ... do you remember it, uh?  
**I-Pin:** It was almost hard to take care of you, but in the end it was also fun!  
**Arina:** You and Lambo practically raised me, you are my big brother and sister!  
**I-Pin:** Come on, it's because we have about ten years of difference! We were the youngest in the group, after all.

The blonde smiles, sipping her tea, while the chinese girl is looking around curiously.

 **I-Pin:** But you ... why are you still in this apartment? Why don't you come back to the mansion?

The fourteen years old girl shakes her head.

 **Arina:** I Thank Decimo very much but I don't want to cause further problems to him. He took care of me since I was a baby and I don't want to continue to be in his way ... I want to be self-sufficient.

She stares at a photo on the window sill, two twin babies are in the arm of a couple of happy spouses. They were her and her twin brother's parents.

 **I-Pin:** You're not a burden to Sawada-san, remember it! You're welcome! And he respects you very much, you are so smart and sweet ...  
**Arina:** Thank you ...  
**I-Pin:** Anyway ... I'm not here to tell you this.

She puts down her cup of tea, staring seriously the girl before her.

 **I-Pin:** Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but ... I thought about it many times and I want to tell you something I'm sure you have to know.  
**Arina** : If you shouldn't have to tell me this, don't do it. I don't want you to say something important just because it's me.  
**I-Pin:** No, don't worry, I have to, and I want to.

Arina is now perplexed, her friend is a little too serious and she doesn't know what is going to say. She listens, carefully.

 **I-Pin:** Sawada-san has found the person responsible for the murder of your parents... He will make sure that this one will be caught and thrown in jail.

Those words seems to reach her chest, her heart is beating faster and feels relieved.  
It seems that the pain of fifteen years is suddenly vanished.  
That man, the mysterious killer soon will be caught and her parents finally will be avenged.  
She sighs, smiling.

 **Arina:** Finally. You know, sometimes I thought about it, but knowing that the culprit will finally be punished ... it makes me feel relieved. Finally, the memory of Mom and Dad will be honoured ...  
The chinese girl smiles sweetly, seems that she has done well telling her friend the news.

**I-Pin:** Well ... remember you can come back whenever you want!

She says on the door, hugging her friend and caressing her blonde hair.

 **Arina** : Thanks I-Pin, but really, there's no need!  
**I-Pin:** You're part of our family, there are no problems!

The girl is about to leave the house but she stops, as if she has forgotten something, turning back to Arina.

 **I-Pin:** Ah ... there's something else ... have you perhaps told _her_ about what happened to your parents?  
**Arina:** Uh? No. Well, she asked questions like why I live alone and how I pay the rent... But I just answered calmly, I told her that I wanted to live close to the school and I receive money every month.  
**I-Pin** : My goodness, she is curious and intelligent as you.  
**Arina:** Everyone already knew it, right?  
**I-Pin:** Now I understand why Sawada-san has entrusted her to you! That brat is irrepressible!  
**Arina:** It's just the age, she is a bright child and it's better that way. You know, she used to be quiet and sad but now she has friends so she goes wild.  
**I-Pin:** Anyway Sawada-san doesn't want she to know about your situation ... I mean, your parents.  
**Arina:** Why not?  
**I-Pin:** Well ... it's better if she doesn't hear of these things.  
**Arina:** uh ... I see. Okay, for me it's even better ... I don't want to talk about it...

The black-haired girl smiles and greets her, vanishing over the courtyard, and the blonde closes the door returning to her duties.

 

***

 

A ball flies down the hallway, outside of the building where the blonde girl and a ten years old child live. The dark-haired boy runs clumsily, since he's a little chubby, going to take the ball back and passing through the front door of Arina's apartment.  
As soon as he has taken the ball with his feet he starts bouncing it on his knee.

\- Oh... Miss Arina's parents... - his look is really sad, sobbing for the news he would never expecting.

He walks quickly toward the little park, not far from where he lives, while still kicking the ball and with a nervous expression.

 **-** Hey hey hey guys! - yells, reaching a red-haired boy who's sitting on the chute.

He slides down and gets close to his friend, intercepting the ball and taking it, starting to dribble.

 **-** Claudio! You can't imagine what I've heard when I was coming here! -

 **Claudio:** Hey, calm down Fabio... what's happened? Sounds like something bad ...  
**Fabio:** Yes, indeed! It's about Miss Arina's parents! They have been killed!

The ball Claudio was playing with falls to the ground and the boy stares at his friend with an incredulous look.

\- WHAT? -

A little girl appears from behind a carousel, she quickly reaches her friends and she looks like quite upset. The brown-haired girl walks to Fabio with a worried look, looking at him with dismay.

 **Fabio:** I'm not kidding, Nozomi! I've heard it!

The little girl is open-mouthed, looks at Fabio and then Claudio. She doesn't know what to say and she keeps shaking her head, like she doesn't want to believe at that story.  
The red-haired boy turns to the friend, shocked too.

 **Claudio:** Nono-chan ... it seems true... What can we do for her?

She clenches his fists, angry.

 **Nozomi:** ... Are you really asking? We have to find out who is the culprit! I swear I'll kill him!


	2. Target 2 - Vongola Decimo

**Target 2 - Vongola Decimo**

****

 

The young fourteen-year-girl lies on her bed, thinking. The idea of returning to the mansion isn't really bad, it is really difficult to live alone even though Decimo helps her, but she knows it would be better for her to achieve a little independence. After finishing her studies she could find a job and she no longer had need of the maintenance.  
She wants to be free from any obligation, she has already given too many worries to the man who had cared for her and she knows that dealing with his daughter isn't enough to repay what Decimo had done for her.

She turns to the table, a scribbled letter is lying on the shelf. She stretches and takes it, letting her finger on the card and putting the letter near her face. It has a nice scent.  
She remembers that smell, it's Luca's one.  
Her twin brother, separated from her when they were only babies, he continues to write to her assiduously and she does it as well.  
She smiles, he is the only true member of her family who is still alive and he is also her twin brother, a kind of her half. She feels so unite to him but, at that moment, so far. She wants to hug him and tells him everything rather than write letters.

She watches the faded words on the paper, thoughtfully. In the last letters he often talks about how his adoptive parents continue to argue and it was almost two years since he had started talking about it. She is worried about his situation, because the two parents he could not visit her and she is afraid that something would happen soon.  
She rests the paper back on the table and looks back at the ceiling.

 **Arina:** ... Maybe I should go to him ... but they would let me see him? What kind of people are those two? Aren't they going to hurt him, right?  
Suddenly she feels the tears in her eyes, worried that something might happen.  
She stands up, looking puzzled at the clock. It's past five.

When she opens the door she notices a woman in her thirties that is coming from the apartment, next to her there's her little white and soft dog.  
**Arina:** Good evening Mrs. Renaldi.  
The woman, who is looking for something inside her purse, notices the blonde girl and greets her with a polite smile.  
**Mrs. Rinaldi:** Oh, good morning dear. Are you going somewhere too?  
**Arina:** Yes, are you going for a walk with Nico?  
**Mrs. Rinaldi:** Oh yes, he has to stretch his legs, my sweetie.  
The girl smiles when she passes in front of her, reaching the stairs.

 **Arina:** Oh.  
The blonde reaches the woman, worried again.  
**Arina:** Madam, do you seen Nozomi around?  
**Mrs. Rinaldi:** uh? No, I'm sorry. I suppose she's with my son, he went to play at the park just a couple of hours ago, he will be with her and Claudio.

The girl thanks the woman and walks quickly toward the park, a few kilometers from the apartments, observing around without finding traces of the three.

 **Arina:** ... where are they gone? It's so late, Nozo had come to do homework already an hour ago ...  
She is almost annoyed. After all, it would be better to go home and do some works for herself but she could not let the girl doesn't study. She wants to be a good example for her.

She had seen her birth, since she was crying every night.  
She had seen her crawl, she had to be careful about where she went and what she put in her mouth but, fortunately, there was her mother, Kyoko, who lovingly took care of her daughter without losing patience. Arina wants to become like her, a calm and gentle woman that can be serious and severe at the same time.  
She had seen how she was always strictly and how she talked on her child so Arina had also tried to imitate her, trying to give her a good education.  
At the first she couldn't stand her because Nozo was small and plaintive and Arina didn't understand why I-Pin, Lambo, but especially Decimo and Kyoko knew exactly what to do to keep the child from crying by imposing their orders. But, after all, at that time Arina was quite little too so she couldn't understand many things.  
In fact, now, Arina thinks more about Nozomi than herself.

When the girl was about six, she didn't laugh and speak anymore.  
Every time she looked at her she had a strange sensation, as if the little girl is isolating herself from the world and she constantly had sad eyes. She didn't know what to do to make her happy, it isn't right that a child didn't play or smile.  
Arina was frustrated and so people around her, confused about that strange situation.  
Nozomi rarely spoke and there wasn't anymore her old smiles. Decimo continued to take her to famous pediatrists, but no one understood anything.  
Fortunately, however, when she met Claudio her life changed and she became happy again. She was again noisy and lively in about one year.

However Arina is afraid that she's still holding something inside her, something she has never revealed to anyone. For that reason she wants to be near her.  
She wants to dispel once and for all that melancholy that obscured the child's eyes. Why an almost eight year child should remain suddenly stunned staring at the sky with dark eyes?  
It isn't a normal thing.

"I ask you to be close to my daughter. I can't because of my work and, even if my wife is always with her, she needs someone different to be close. She needs someone to trust, someone she can speak with her heart. She is only a child... "

 **Arina:**... If she isn't here she has to be at home ... she has to give me a good explanation for not coming to study, that idiot!  
The girl turns and she goes to the bus stop. Nozomi's house is in the suburbs and it is almost impossible to go there by walking.

 

***

 

The Vongola manor is full of many people, men in dark suits who are wandering around the big building, which looks like more a royal castle than a palace.  
The lush and verdant garden hides the cars that are parked in a space next to the east area.

It isn't the first time that the two children go into the almost regal residence, they went there already quite a lot of times after their friend who lives there, however, it is the first time they face a lot of busy people. Those men seem frightening.  
Fabio is trembling a little, he looks Claudio and Nozomi that are furtively looking around themselves, when they slowly go across the courtyard to reach the palace.  
After passing the first corridor, the three are hiding under a table, placed between two corridors in a corner.  
**Fabio:** But those guys... what are they doing here?  
**Nozomi:** I dunno, I've never seen so many people around.  
**Claudio:** Is there a party?  
**Nozomi:** I don't think, if there was some party my mom would tell me that tonight I had to put on my elegant dress.  
**Claudio:** "elegant dress"?  
**Nozomi:** ... the dress you put when there are important things, right?  
**Claudio:** Oh ... I see.  
**Nozomi:** Are you never been to an important party?  
**Fabio:** I've been to the _lara_ 's party of my cousin.  
**Claudio:** _Lara_? What is lara?  
**Fabio:** I dunno, I just know that my cousin did the lara's party after studying.  
**Claudio:** ... oh, maybe _laura_?  
**Nozomi:** The laura's party, yes! When you finish the university's exams!  
**Fabio:** I thought it was lara, not laura ...  
**Nozomi:** Well, Lara or Laura, it is the same woman, uh.  
_  
(_ _Actually it's "Laurea", it is the university graduation. In Italy people use to celebrate the graduation from the university with the "Festa di laurea", 'laurea's party'. These children don't understand well the word so it seems a woman's name and here is the misunderstanding._ _)_

 **Claudio:** But I've never been to any party ...  
The small girl turns to him with a surprised look.  
**Nozomi:** Then, when there's an important party here, I ask to papa to invite you!  
**Claudio:** Eh?! Really?  
**Nozomi:** Yes, we'll dance together!  
**Fabio:** Eh?! You can dance too?!  
**Nozomi:** Sure, I'll teach you to dance! I can dance the waltz!  
**Fabio:** Uh? The _Vazz_?  
**Claudio:** Oh, is that the dance where you hug the girl and you turn around?  
**Nozomi:** Yes, yes!

The red blush, looking up toward the ceiling with a thoughtful expression.  
**Nozomi:** ... hey, are you ok?  
**Claudio:** uhm, I thought it would be fun to dance it with Nono ...  
Even the girl blushes, looking away from him and noticing that there is a person standing next to her, he starts to knock on the table. The man has dark hair with some little braids.  
Like everyone else, he wears a suit.  
**Lambo** : um, May I know what you three guys are doing under here? What are you playing at?  
The little girl winces when she sees him because she didn't expect to find someone next to her.  
**Nozomi:** Uhm ... Lambo-nii ... well ... we are hiding here from the bad and ugly men.  
The man raises an eyebrow, perplexed.  
**Lambo:** If you mean all the people that's out there, I assure you that they're not bad. Maybe they are ugly ...  
**Nozomi:** I don't care, they seem ugly, right?  
She turns to the two who nod with their head.  
**Lambo:** Oh, well. However Nozo-chan, don't mess around ... I think for now it's better that you go and play elsewhere ... there's too much confusion here and it would not be nice if you guys run around among the guests.  
The small scratches their heads and nods, so that man paints a smile and walks away, leaving the three.  
**Fabio:** ... then, where are we going now? To my house?  
**Nozomi:** NO. Let's find out who killed Arina's parents!  
**Claudio:** Have you ever seen them? What were they like?  
**Nozomi:** uh ... no ... I never saw her parents ... they sent her money to keep her here, and then they were killed while they were alone and defenseless!  
**Fabio:** that is cruel!  
**Claudio:** We can't trust anyone! We must find the culprits!  
**Nozomi:** Then follow me, we must reach papa's office!  
**Claudio:** But wait, there will be plenty of people around! How do we do that?  
**Nozomi:** We go through the secret passages of the mansion! Follow me!

The child rushes into the corridor to the right, followed by the two, until she stops in front of a room.  
They enter in the room, it's small with a classic sofa, full of bookcases and some furniture with glasses and objects probably of value.  
Nozomi moves a dresser with the help of the two and reveals an opening in which they go, ending in a stone and dusted conduit with small stairs inside.  
**Nozomi:** Claudio, do you have the torch that your father gave you?  
**Claudio:** Obviously, you never know when you might need it!  
**Fabio:** Oh, but we always need it...  
The three, with Nozomi at the forefront because she holds the torch in sight, go up the stairs quickly in a path totally straight and uniform. After about three minutes of straight paths, with a couple of turns here and there, they come at the end of the trail that ended in a dead end.  
Or so it seems.  
**Fabio:** Hey, it is closed!  
Nozomi and Claudio quiet their friend quickly, just in time to hear some voices coming from the other side of the wall.  
**Claudio:** the voice of someone ...  
**Nozomi:** That stuff there is a paint in papa's office! I hear papa, maybe he's talking to somebody ...  
**Fabio:** Are they all those guys who were down at the gate?  
**Claudio:** I thinks there are about ten people...  
**Nozomi:** ... I think that others people are only the subordinates, this is why we see so many men.  
The three kids squat, listening the voices and trying to get most of the informations.

**Man:** I know what you think, but we certainly can't expose ourselves just like that. **  
Man2:** Well, of what are you afraid, Gennaro? Or maybe is your family too weak to fight? **  
Man:** Seriously? Hey, you have no right to offend us, you Elektrica only work behind a facade, I do not think it's fair to judge others. **  
Man3:** Perhaps it would be best to avoid these disputes, we are all allies. I think Decimo is right to be worried that Miles has something to hide. **  
Man4:** Are the Cavallone so easily scared? Come on, a man like that guy is just afraid that someone steals his territory. **  
Man5:** The Vongola have right to chase it away without ask for explanations. ****  
Man3: This is a good reason, Alberto. But you know, there were been some murders too, we must not forget.  
Tsuna: Indeed. We can't forget those who suffered because of Lhumor.

The girl gasps.  
**Nozomi:** Papa! This is papa's voice!

 **Tsuna:** We must prevent that such a tragedy can happen again. **  
Man3:** Obviously, it is up to us to make sure that nobody makes injustices in our territory. I agree. **  
Tsuna:** Thanks Dino. I invite you all to say your vows, you can also refrain from participating. **  
Man6:** You're too soft Tsuna. **  
Man2:** Decimo is nice but our position does not allow us to abstain when summoned ... and The Bellucci should avoid certain scenes too. **  
Man:** Eh, I tried. **  
Man5:** Ah, ah, Gennaro is a real funny guy. Obviously we agree. **  
Man3:** So, Elektrica and Chiaromiele support this. **  
Man7:** Without doubt, the Giacinti support you. **  
Man6:** Even the Cavallone, the Baldelli and the Verardi. **  
Man8:** There is no need to say anything, Decimo already knows what we choose. **  
Man9:** Same from us. **  
Man10:** Our families will join you without any doubt. **  
Tsuna:** Well, I thank you all for your understanding. **  
Man7:** It isn't understanding, Decimo. As your allies we have a duty to give support or our situation would be affected as well as our honor. However, the enemy is common so I don't see why all this confusion. **  
Man2:** Eh, the Bellucci. It's always them. **  
Man:** ... **  
Man4:** Admit that you are scared, Gennaro! **  
Man:** Stop it. **  
Tsuna:** Please calm down, gentlemen. Thank you anyway for your support. ****  
Man8: If this can help us to find the perpetrators of the tragic events of twelve years ago, I'm so happy to support it.  
Tsuna: Forget what people of Lhumor Corporation did means to forget the deaths of the Belfiore, the Coleandro and the Luccini.

The three children wince and they look at each other. They hear orderly footsteps who're leaving the room next to them, the men are leaving and this means that the discussion is closed.  
**Nozomi:** Have you listened?  
**Claudio:** I heard something about a certain corporation.  
**Fabio:** The _Luna_ Corporeshion!  
**Nozomi:** Wasn't it _Liumor_?  
**Claudio:** anyway ... weren't they? They were all here to fight them!  
**Fabio:** It 's true, so cool! We have seen a discussion of a plan to fight some enemies, just like in the movies!  
**Claudio:** It was a true meeting of Mafia!  
The girl laughed.  
**Claudio:** Hey, why are you laughing?  
**Nozomi:** In my dreams I have often seen similar debates in the First Family!

Suddenly they shut down. The steps seem to be advancing slowly towards the picture that separates the three from the boss's office.  
**Nozomi:** Come on!  
The three run away quickly, retracing the trail backwards with Claudio and Fabio in front and Nozomi behind.  
Two minutes later Nozomi emerges from the opening, right behind the two friends and someone catches her with her surprise.  
She notices the two friends, with their head bowed and the expression of someone who had just been caught and she looks up to see who is holding her under his arm, noticing an albino man with emerald eyes.

 **Nozomi:** U-uncle Hayato!  
**Gokudera:** Look what we have here. A brat that sneaks into secret passages and spies people.  
**Nozomi:** Hey, I wasn't spying on anyone!  
**Gokudera:** Aren't you spying on anyone? And where were you?  
**Nozomi:** Around here. I'm showing some secret passages of the castle to Claudio and Fabio!  
**Gokudera:** Going around in a secret passage that leads only to the Juudaime's room?  
The child becomes frightened. Why does uncle Hayato know about that passage and where it led?  
**Nozomi:** No .. I didn't know where it led. I arrived at a dead end and we went back ...  
**Gokudera:** But you stayed there for at least ten minutes.  
**Nozomi:** That's not true!  
The man slaps her on the backside of the girl, making her shakes.  
**Gokudera:** Don't you know that you haven't tell lies, missy?

The brown girl finally manages to escape from the man and she rolls on the ground, getting up but she ends up running into someone else, who has a very familiar scent.  
She looks up and she looks her father's frown.  
**Tsuna:** Sneak and also liar ... Who has taught you these things, Nozo-chan?  
The girl observes her father for a few seconds before she starts to cry, putting her hands to her face, sobbing.  
The man kneels and embraces his daughter.  
**Tsuna:** Nozo-chan. Have you listened the whole discussion, isn't it?  
The girl shakes her head and the man turns to the two friends.  
Fabio is the most frightened and he confesses everything they wanted to do and what they know about Arina's parents.

Nozo trembles, she almost doesn't want to slap her friend because he revealed everything but, in that moment, she is more worryed about her father's response.  
The man stares at his daughter.  
**Tsuna:** So you knew.

**Claudio:** B-but we just wanted to know who has done such a bad thing! Arina is a friend of ours, we can't believe that someone did something like that to her parents! She must have been very sad!  
**Tsuna:** ... It happened when she was a newborn, she has no memory of her parents.  
**Nozomi:** Eh? It isn't true! She said that her parents sent her the money that will allow her ... to live... alone ...  
She concludes the sentence slowly and softly and she stares at her father's serious look. She seems to want to cry again.  
**Nozomi:** ... Was it a lie ...?  
**Tsuna:** Arina doesn't want to worry you. In addition ... You should be studyng at Arina's house, now. Why are you out there playing and you're not doing your duty?  
The girl gasps, remembering that it is very late.  
**Nozomi:** ... I ...  
**Tsuna:** Forget about this bad story and go to her.  
**Nozomi:** But .. Arina's parents ...  
**Tsuna:** They are gone many years ago and if you want Arina's happiness you should be close to her, don't you think?  
The man ruffled her hair and caresses her face, smiling with love.  
**Nozomi:** ... uh ... yeah ...  
**Tsuna:** Leave everything to your dad and go to Arina.  
Decimo give her a kiss on the forehead and then he turns to the two little friends who are next to his right-hand man, frightened and guilty.  
**Tsuna:** You two ... you should go home. You can come to play tomorrow afternoon, if you want.  
Nozomi raises her head and smiles when the room's door is opened, Arina enters quickly and she seems quite upset.

 **Arina:** NOZO! I've been looking for you everywhere, what happened to you?!  
She is breathless, she was really worried and she takes a while to recover her breath. Maybe she had run a lot.  
**Arina:** You should have come to study... you didn't come... I was worried!  
Nozomi notices the anxious gaze of her friend and she immediately runs to hug her, feeling guilty for making her worry.  
**Nozomi:** I'm sorry! I just wanted ... I just wanted ...  
The blonde holds her, finally reassured, and then she raises her head and notices the man who is watching them with a smile.  
**Arina:** Ah! Decimo! Forgive me, I know that I had to make sure that Nozomi did her homeworks but ...  
**Tsuna:** It's ok. Mh, it's very late, can you escort these two young men at their home?  
**Arina:** Uh? Sure, but ... then it would be too late to study...  
**Tsuna:** Don't worry, how about staying with us for dinner, tonight? You might consider to study after that.  
He smiles, and Arina can't say no to the man's smile.

That intense smile, full of love and warmth. Is maybe that the magnificence of Vongola Decimo? She hopes in her heart that even the small Nozomi, one day can become great as him.


	3. Target 3 - Heart Beats

**Target 3 - Heart Beats**

****

 

It's a new day, the sun shines above the city and it's pretty hot.  
Arina is a little sleepy, she's wearing jeans and a blue T-shirt, the usual bow in her hair and her big smile of someone who is about to face a beautiful day.  
But it's too hot and she's too sleepy to be cheerful.

She leaves the house as usual, greeting neighbours with kindness and reaching the sidewalk.  
She stops a little further, noticing a dog with sore paw, getting close to it and petting the puppy. Probably it was hit or beaten by some rascal boy.  
She feels compassion for it, this is why she ties her handkerchief around its paw, deciding that it would be better to take it to a veterinary clinic, fortunately a few steps from there.  
The doctors are at her disposal and can lend it proper care, the blonde abandons the clinic to get back on her way to school, this time running because she wasted time and she is likely to be late.

She decides to climb over a wall and walks quickly, trying to avoid being seen by passers-by not to give the impression of being a bad girl.  
When she jumps down, she finds herself just a few steps from the road leading to the school building and runs quickly, so fast that she bumps into a person who has just turned the corner, but he grabs her before she falls backwards due to the impact.

\- Hey, are you okay? -

Arina looks up, visibly embarrassed, looking at the person who grabbed her.

 **Arina:** I'm sorry, I don't-

She is speechless.  
In front of her there's is a guy a few years older than her. He is quite tall, perhaps one hundred and seventy centimetres, he has short purple hair, clear blue eyes and a beautiful smile.  
She has never been so close to a boy before, she can't take her eyes off him and remains silent, embarrassed and with the heart beating faster.

 **-** Hey ... have you lost your voice or you're voiceless? -  
**Arina:** ah ... forgive me ... that's ...  
**-** Don't worry, you're fine so it's okay. You were running to school, right? -

She turns, the school building is a few feet from them.

 **Arina:** ... yes ... you too?  
**-** Oh no, I attend a professional school in the other side of the town, today it's closed due to some events. -  
**Arina:** Ah ... I see ...  
\- Well, if you're okay everything is fine. Run to school or you'll be late! -

He chuckled, a radiant smile that manages to impress the girl.

 **Arina:** W-wait! I ... I'm Arina Luccini, nice to meet you!

The boy raises an eyebrow, obviously he wasn't expecting that she would introduce herself. After a while, however, he smiles again.

\- I am Alessandro. Alessandro Demerito. -  
**Arina:** A-Alessandro ... thank you!

The boy leaves the blonde girl, she's now in a kind of trance while following him with her eyes, sighing.

 

 

Sonia keeps looking at her friend's enchanted gaze. It looks like she hasn't listened to the lesson and it's very odd for Arina.  
Marianna and Vanessa, who are sitting in the desks behind her, still giggle insistently and Sonia turns to the two, upset.

 **Sonia:** Why are you laughing?  
**Marianna:** Don't tell me you couldn't figure it out! Can't you see yourself?  
**Vanessa:** Even the great Arina has fallen prey to the trap of love ~  
**Sonia:** Love? Seriously?  
**Vanessa:** Well, you talk as if it's an alien stuff... I know you don't like boys, but it's not the same for us, of course!  
**Sonia:** It's not that I don't like boys, it's that the ones I meet are idiots and monkeys.  
**Marianna:** Anyway ... we should support Arina and her mysterious love!

The friend approaches Arina's face and looks at her until she realize it.

 **Arina:**... eh ... uh?! Sonia?  
**Sonia:** Are you lost in the depths of your subconscious or are you here with us?  
**Arina:** Ah! Ehm ... I ...  
**Vanessa:** hahaha how cute!  
**Marianna:** She's so sweet!  
**Arina:**...  
**Sonia:** Shut up, don't you see she is embarrassed?

The blonde touches her hair nervously, wondering if it's love at first sight.

She still doesn't know who is Alessandro, it's the first time she has met him and already her heart beats faster for that guy. Is she really in love with a boy who has never seen before and doesn't even know who he is? How is it possible?  
She had never loved a guy before, she was too busy with studying and looking after Nozomi, the only things she knows about love are everything she has read in books.

Yet a thought continues to haunt her.  
No, it's definitely not the first time, but at the time she was about nine years old, so it couldn't be true love.  
At that age she followed Lambo everywhere, she couldn't take her eyes off him. She thought he was charming, he was also so funny and sweet.  
But it was probably because he was the only boy close to her. Perhaps, if she had other friends, she wouldn't have even thought of it.  
Maybe she mistook friendship for love.  
Yet it was so sad when she discovered that I-Pin and Lambo were officially engaged for several years and once she had even seen them kissing.

That time she really hated I-Pin, who was also her best friend. But, in the end, she realized that they really loved each other and she couldn't interfere in that relationship.  
Perhaps it was her first disappointment in love.  
Or, at least, of what at the time she believed to be the love.

Would it happen again? What would happen if she discovers that the mysterious yet captivating Alessandro is engaged? Maybe he is a playboy who likes to have many women but, in the end, no one can know it.  
Anything is possible because she doesn't know anything about him.

 **Arina:** I've decided! I want to find out more about him.

She almost scares the three girls, who were still arguing among themselves, turning to her best friend Sonia.

 **Arina:** I want to know who is Alessandro Demerito.  
**Sonia:** ... well, if you want I will give you a hand!

Arina smiles, now sure of her choice, she really want to know more about the mysterious boy with a charming smile that has enchanted her.

 **Marianna:** Hey, wait! Demerito, you say? Wasn't there a supermarket with this name? It's close to the cinema, in the center of the town.

The two turn to the girl behind them, who is fixing her glasses.

 **Sonia:** Hey, you're right. My mother goes there...  
**Vanessa:** Well ... you have a starting point now, right?  
**Arina:** Sure!

The look of the girl seems to glow.

 **Arina:** I'll find out if the Demerito of the shop have something to do with him!

When the girl wants to do something she's really stubborn, she also passed her strong nature to her little pupil and she is happy about it. The stubbornness and strength of mind are important for a future boss of the Vongola.

She lurks outside of the supermarket, along with her inseparable friend, she's looking around hoping to see the young man who captured Arina's heart.

 **Sonia:** What do we do?  
**Arina:** Uhm ... we should wait here, hoping to see him around...  
**Sonia:** And what if he is at home? Isn't it better to ask in the shop?  
**Arina:**... they would get suspicious!  
**Sonia:** of what? You could be a classmate ... I don't think they'll get suspicious, come on.  
**Arina:** B-but ... and if ...  
**Sonia:** hey, before you come here you were so euphoric and now you're afraid to ask?

The blonde is hiding herself behind the wall, blushing.

 **Sonia:** Come on, Arina! You won't gain anything if you wait! Go and look for your prey!

Sonia's eyes seems to burn of passion, she drags Arina inside the supermarket, among the crowd of customers who comes and goes quickly in the store with lots of bags full of stuff.  
The two walk to a man, who's working close to the shelves of snacks.

 **Sonia:** Excuse me, do you know by chance a certain Alessandro Demerito?

The man turns toward the two, puzzled, than shakes his head.  
Arina looks depressed and with no more energy, she's embarrassed because her friend still drags her here and there, asking questions to everyone, hoping for a positive response.

 **Arina:** Sonia, come on ... they don't know him ...  
**Sonia:** You can't give up like that! We came here to find clues about him, so at least let's try!

She asks to the cashier.

\- Uh? Alessandro Demerito, you say? Um, I think he is the son of the owner's sister. -  
**Sonia:** BINGO!  
**Arina:** Son of ... owner's sister?  
**-** Yes, the owner of this shop is Bernardo Demerito. -  
**Sonia:** then Alessandro is his nephew? Excuse me... why does he have the mother's surname?  
**-** Oh I don't know, probably after his parents' divorce he has taken the surname of his mother, I suppose. -  
**Arina:** Ah, then everything is explained ...

The raven-haired girl pulls the blonde out of the shop, she smiles and is obviously happy.

 **Sonia:** See? We have many informations now.

The blonde nods, embarrassed but a little happy at the same time.

 **Sonia:** apparently he lives in that building over there, with his mother.  
**Arina:** Yes ... Thank you Sonia!  
**Sonia:** For what? Finally we know a bit more about your Charming Prince, isn't it?

They laugh, as long as a voice doesn't interrupt their happiness.

\- Oh, you're ... -

The male voice reaches the ears of the blonde like a lightning hitting a tree. Both turn around, finding themselves to observe a purple-haired boy.

**Sonia:** ... oh!  
**Alessandro:** why are you here? Are you shopping with your friend?  
**Arina:** Ah ... ehm ...  
**Sonia:** Yes, yes! Oh but ... do you know the manager of this store?  
**Alessandro:** Sure, he's my uncle.  
**Sonia:** What a coincidence! Isn't it true, Arina?

The blonde girl blushes, biting her lip, but suddenly her friend spun around, throwing out a scream.

 **Sonia:** Oh! I forgot to buy milk! I'll be back soon ~

Arina almost doesn't want to kill her friend: she has walked in the store with an amazing speed, leaving her alone with the boy.

 **Alessandro:** Ha ha, she is so fun!

Arina stares at his laughing face: she can't help it, she can't do anything to think about something else.  
The boy suddenly gets close to her face with a curious expression, and smiles.

 **Alessandro:** You're really cute, you know? Would you like to exchange e-mail addresses?

The heart of the girl seems to burst.


	4. Target 4 - An Extreme Day

**Target 4 - An Extreme Day**

****

 

It's a beautiful and sunny day, people come out to go to work while students are going towards their schools.  
The elementary school children can, however, play at home or go for a walk with their parents. On Saturday there are no lessons and they can relax and spend time with their mothers and fathers.  
There are so many things they can do with them and with friends, and yet there are many of them who snort bored because they don't know how to spend the time.

The same happens in a house in the suburbs, which looks like an eighteenth century's palace.  
In the west area of that building there's a small room in the same old style.

At the center there is a small table with chairs next to a balcony with long white and embroidered curtains, flying around thanks to the slight breeze coming from the half-open window, which make the room less muggy.  
On the right there is a bed placed horizontally into the wall, almost as if the wall was dug specifically to get that space. To limit the corner there are long sheer orange curtains, which surround the long edge of the bed. At the top, engraved in the center of the wall, there is a huge XI, that seems to be hanging in a serious way on the little head of the girl who's lying on her bed, just below the crest.  
Next to the bed there is a half-open door, leading into what looks like a small room used as a closet full of clothes and other stuff such as shoes, handbags, hats and jewelry. That room justifies the absence of closets in the main room, just full of shelves and bookcases with books and toys.

The little girl is lying on her back for a while, sighing. She is bored and doesn't want to play with the boring toys she owns.  
She turns to the shelves full of plush dolls, toys, games and consoles and remembers all of them, where and how she received them. At that time her father often returned home with some gifts for her, especially when she was younger. It seemed that he liked to pamper her with every game and gift, the most beautiful at that time, in fact she had a couple of consoles obtained on day one, if not sooner.  
But games, dolls and video games didn't last long before ending up on the shelf and stay there for years, gathering dust. The little girl didn't want to play and, before a few years ago, she even denied to be a simple child. She didn't want to play, she wanted to fight, she wanted to do something for her future.  
For that reason her father decided to let her spend time with I-Pin, who occasionally taught her something useful about the martial arts, to make sure that she could defend herself if she was in trouble.  
But it isn't enough, she wanted to become stronger. After all, what could do a child of only seven years if she were to face adult men?  
However, in that almost summer day she has other problems on her mind. What can she do to spend her time, avoiding the deadly heat that oppresses people?  
She feels very lazy, but that doesn't stop her to jump out of bed when Fabio and Claudio enter in the room, reaching her friend.

 **Claudio:** Nono, good day!  
**Fabio:** hiiii!  
**Nozomi:** Hey, guys! How are you?

The brunette gets close to two and start jumping in circle like idiots.

 **Fabio:** So, what do we do today?

Claudio put finger under his chin, thoughtfully.

 **Claudio:** Let's go to the park!  
**Fabio:** But it's too hot!  
**Nozomi:** Uhm ... let's start with getting out of here, then we'll see.

The trio jumps through the halls of the mansion, this time less crowded, where occasionally there are more servants and staff member that member of the mafia or random men.

 **Nozomi:** Ah! I have still to go to say good morning!

The brunette startled, frightened, turning and running, pursued by the two giggling boys.  
They quickly reach a hallway that the two children remember very well, they have already been there many times.  
They turn the corner and stop, remaining on the sidelines and letting the girl to approach the huge old painting, that represent a blond man with a black coat.  
The girl bows in a very respectful way and smiles, clasping her hands and looking at the man's face, immersing herself in his beautiful orange eyes.

 **Nozomi:** Buon Giorno, Primo-sama! How are you? I hope fine. Today Nozo-chan is very happy because she has again dreamed Primo-sama, so she hopes that even Primo-sama is happy as Nozo-chan!  
Even both the boys approach to the portrait of the blond and bow, exclaiming in unison a "Good morning, Primo-sama."

The girl turns to the two, smiling.

 **Nozomi:** So ... where are we going? How about going to see what papa is doing?  
**Claudio:** Uh ...? Decimo-sama? Do you want to go back into the secret passage, huh, Nono?  
**Nozomi:** Ah no, absolutely! We knock at the front door!  
**Fabio:** Um, if so ... it's better, uh?

The trio walk among the almost labyrinthine corridors of the castle, and after about five minutes they arrive at the door that leads to the study of the boss.  
The child knocks for a few moments, but receives no reply, they stare puzzled at the inlaid wood.

 **Claudio:** Uh ... isn't he there?  
**Nozomi:** I think so...

She opens the door anyway, slowly, looking at the empty room and sighing, finally closing it behind her.

 **Fabio:** But didn't you know that he wasn't here?  
**Nozomi:** Hey, he comes and goes quickly, he is always busy!  
**Fabio:** Is you father so busy?  
**Claudio:** Fabio, haven't you seen the other time in the room with all those people? He's super important!  
**Fabio:** I hadn't see him but I heard it... anyway you're right, he looks like a president!  
**Nozomi:** My father is cool, period.

The children burst out laughing when a voice surprises them.

\- Hey, Sawada isn't there! -

The three turn, finding a very tall albino man behind them. He's wearing a suit with a yellow blouse and he's looking the kids with a puzzled look.

 **Ryohei:** Ah, Nozo-chan!

Ryohei grabs the child in front of friends and cuddle her with a broad smile on his face, while she tries to break free from the grip of her uncle.

 **Nozomi:** But .. no .. stop-... uncle Ryohei!  
**Ryohei:** It's a long time since we met, I was just wondering how is my favourite niece!  
**Fabio:** Uh? Didn't you see for a long time? But you live in the same house!

The man finally lets go of the poor child and looks confused.

 **Ryohei:** Eh, even though we live in the same house ... this place isn't quite a home, it is a castle, uh ... it is extremely big! We can't see each other often!  
**Claudio:** Oh, I see!  
**Fabio:** I never thought of it, uh.

The brunette fixes her hair up and looks sideways at her uncle, with curiosity.

 **Ryohei:** Anyway, if you're looking for Sawada he went out an hour ago, he'll be back before lunch ... I think.  
**Nozomi:** What bad luck!  
**Claudio:** Oh okay, it's better to look for something else to do ...  
**Ryohei:** I warn you, don't go out to play. It's extremely hot for children like you!

The brunette gets close to her uncle and pulls her black jacket.

 **Ryohei:** Uh?  
**Nozomi:** Nee, nee, uncle ... What does "extreme" mean? You say it often.  
**Ryohei:** Extreme ...? Extreme is something EXTREME!

The man seems caught by an invisible flame of passion, which seems to burn within his heart. The two kids look almost scared but Nozomi is calm, she is already used to that particular behaviour.

 **Nozomi:** You always say "extreme here, extreme there" ... but what does it mean? What is an "extreme" thing?

The man brings his left hand under the chin with a thoughtfully look and then asks the boys to follow him.

He brings the trio in a room they have never seen, the room of the guardian of the sun, where he spends his free time training himself.  
The room is full of long pillows that hang from the ceiling, must probably they are punching bags. There are also some lifting machinery and other machines that are usually found in gyms and the strange wooden pillar with many rafters. Down the hall there is a small refrigerator and towels neatly stored on shelves.  
The three look at the man with a puzzled expression.

 **Ryohei:** So, listen to me carefully. Extreme is... this!

Ryohei punches a bag, it moves violently and hits it again, repeating the process.  
He continues to hit it a few times, making it to move a little here and there due to the strength. Finally he blocks it and returns to observe the three children.

 **Ryohei:** So, do you understand?

The three shake their heads.

 **Ryohei:** ... mh. Try it!

Ryohei drags Claudio beside him and the child observes the bag first and then the man. The redhead hits it with all his strength, it moves a few inches and then return to its place.

 **Ryohei:** Um ... no, this isn't enough extreme!

The albino observes Fabio who's approaching the bag, anxious, he also tries to hit it with all his strength, his hand turns red and he screams in pain. The bag hasn't moved an inch and the albino looks puzzled.  
Even Nozomi approaches the bag and punches it. The bag moves and gets up more so she smiles of joy, but it comes back and hits her violently, flinging her to the ground.

 **Ryohei:** AHHHHH NOZOOOOO!

The man, after making sure that her niece is well, he is now looking at the three boys again and asks them if they understood, but they reply with a negative response.

 **Ryohei:** Ah. Well ... then let's try it another way.

The three follow the man, this time he's leading them in the huge kitchen of the mansion. They are close to a large refrigerator and Ryohei pulls out a bottle of beer.  
He shows it to the boys and he drinks it quickly, almost all in one gulp, under the astonished eyes of the three.  
He passes his arm to his lips.

 **Ryohei:** Th-... uh-uh ... this is drinking to the EXTREME!

The man seems somewhat disoriented and stumbles for a few seconds before he tries to fill with water three large mugs of those used for beer.

 **Ryohei:** Come on, try it!

The children bring their mugs to their lips and begins to drink slowly.

 **Ryohei:** No, not like that! It has to be more EXTREME!

Claudio try to uplift the mug but he falls backward and pour water on him, clutching the mug to his chest as he catches his breath. Fabio stops to drink immediately after, spitting out most of the water, while Nozomi rests it on the ground quickly, coughing.

 **Ryohei:** ...

The guardian of the sun helps the three back on their feet, dragging them near the oven. He takes a hot bread from the iron shelf of freshly baked bread and devours it in seconds.

 **Ryohei:** eh - um - yum - dhis ... chomp ... ettin ... yum ... tothexteeeme!

The children seem even more puzzled than before, and the man scratches his head, looking the bewildered faces of the three.

 **Ryohei:** mh ... do you understand?

Nozomi, Claudio and Fabio, of course, shake their heads.

 **Ryohei:** ... This is very strange.

The albino brings the group of children through the halls of the residence, finding himself on the north terrace of the mansion.  
The man raises his arms to the sky, shouting "EXTREME!" With all the breath in his body.

 **Ryohei:** That's screaming to the extreme! What do you think? Do you understand?

He gets another negative response.

 **Ryohei:** ... how about you try it?

This time Fabio is the first to begin, the guardian picks him up, inviting him to scream at the sky.

 **Fabio:** EXTREME!

His scream is soft, Fabio seems to be tired and he doesn't have a lot of voice.

 **Ryohei:** ...

Now it's up to Claudio, his scream is strong enough and everyone can listen even a slight echo.

 **Ryohei:** Hey, you're very good at it!

Finally, the man takes his niece in his arms, but Nozomi's voice is so acute that almost doesn't destroy the ear of her uncle. Also there's no echo of course.  
The man puts down the little girl, still a little disoriented, before asking the same question.

 **Ryohei:** D-do you understand?

The two shake their head again, but this time Nozomi shrugs.

It is a great step forward and Ryohei smiles, feeling motivated again and decided to take the kids in the garden, despite the heat, to get them to run from the fountain to the walls of the building.  
Fabio runs with all the breath he has left, stopping about ten seconds after starting.  
Claudio continues for about thirty seconds more and Nozomi for nearly a minute, before falling to the ground, tired and out of energy.

 **Ryohei:** RUN TO THE EXTREMEEEEE!

The man continues to run, showing his almost endless energy. He arrives to the walls, turns and sees the three lying on the ground and without energy. He runs again toward the children, helps them and puts them back on their feet.  
Finally, when they seem quite conscious, Ryohei asks them the same question again, finally getting a positive response from the girl.  
He glows with joy, the man grabs her and twirls, joyful.

 **Ryohei:** YES! I KNEW THAT MY NIECE WAS EXTREME AS ME!

The group is moving towards the entrance of the building, following the guardian of the sun that has a look of satisfaction.  
They find a car next to the entrance, Vongola Decimo and his Guardians of storm and rain turn to observe the strange quartet. The sun greets affectionately Decimo and the two friends.

 **Tsuna:** Hey, what's happening here?

Tsuna looks at Ryohei and then the three children.

 **Nozomi:** Papa!

The girl runs to her father, who smiles and quickly takes her in his arms, crossing the threshold of the mansion and heading to the office.

 **Nozomi:** Hey, hey, papa! you know, I learned something new today!  
**Tsuna:** Uh? And what have you learned?  
**Nozomi:** Uncle Ryohei taught me what's the meaning of the word "extreme"!

The man smiles, ruffling his daughter's hair.

 **Tsuna:** And what does it mean?  
**Nozomi:** Something is "Extreme" when you do stupid things shouting "Extreme"!

Tsuna bursts out laughing, clutching the child in a loving way.


	5. Target 5 - Feelings

**Target 5 - Feelings**

****

 

Despite the clouds it's a beautiful day for Arina.

The blonde girl is combing her hair with her fingers, watching the boy who's accompanying her for shopping.  
The purple-haired young man looks at shop windows with interest and, occasionally, observes the cute girl, smiling gently.  
She must always turn her head, otherwise she could die of embarrassment. Her face becomes so red that she seems to catch fire.  
It isn't the first time that they walk together, several times he invited her to eat ice cream or proposed to go shopping. It looks like he likes going shopping, just like Arina, and it's pretty unusual for a boy. He is very fashionable so he often finds himself in front of some clothes shop looking at the items, just like the fourteen years old girl who also love dresses and stuff like that.

Many times the young man has taken her by hand by mistake, and then he has apologized.  
But Arina doesn't mind it at all, she likes when he does it.

 **Alessandro:** Arina, look at this!

Every now and then he shows her something extremely cute, knowing that his partner of walks likes those particular stuff. The blonde girl observes the item with sparkling eyes and in the end, in one way or another, she comes home with another gift.  
They are sitting on a bench eating a tasty ice cream and the girl has a bit of cream on her lips, so he smiles and sneaks up to her, watching her tenderly.

 **Alessandro:** Uh ... you have a little bit of cream over here ...

He puts a finger to her lips and he gently cleanses them, she is totally embarrassed but also enchanted by him.

 **Arina:** A... Alessandro ...

The young man returns to eat his ice cream.

 **Alessandro:** You know, Arina ...  
**Arina:** Uh?  
**Alessandro:** ... I've been with several girls in my life. I think ... Ten or more ...  
**Arina:** ehh? So many?!  
**Alessandro:** Well, my relationships lasted only a few months ...one of them lasted for three days.

Arina rolls her eyes in disbelief.

 **Alessandro:** In truth they were all boring, they spoke only of fashion and fabulous singers.  
**Arina:** Fabulous singers?  
**Alessandro:** Well, you know "Ahhh he is so cool! What a voice ~ Have you bought his cd? You have to buy it!"... then I bought his cd and I started wondering if real music is now completely dead.

Arina bursts out laughing and almost drops the ice cream.

 **Alessandro:** Hey, no kidding! I love rock, but there are many singers who sing horrible songs, with nonsense lyrics and electronic instruments, everything created in a computer. Some of their musics are really noisy and annoying, seriously!  
**Arina:** So didn't they talk about anything else?  
**Alessandro:** Some also spoke of wonderful movies and books, they said they were masterpieces ... but in the end they were just commons and stupid love stories.  
**Arina:** Uh, I hate those movies. That is, I like romantic stories but the classic ones... otherwise I love thrillers.  
**Alessandro:** Well, we love the same things. After all, they are more realistic, right? It's absurd that they can create movies where a boy and a girl fall in love after looking at each other for one minute, they don't know anything about each other and immediately speak about eternal love. Obviously the whole movie is full of random erotic scenes, that have nothing to do with the main plot.

The blonde almost doesn't fall off the bench for too many laughs, while the young man watches her amused, giggling too.

 **Alessandro:** Well, either way you're the first girl I meet who don't like any of these things ... you're smart and love studying, you know many things, don't just talk about fashion and singers and don't love those kind of movies. You are ... amazing.

The blonde blushes, she must look away from the guy not to show her tomato-colored face and she can't even look him in the eyes.

 **Alessandro:** ... What I'm trying to tell you is ... now it's two weeks we're going out, maybe we... should be together...?

He said it.  
Arina's head seems to emanate smoke.

 **Arina:** S... so ... we ...  
**Alessandro:** We're together, right? Or maybe don't you like me?  
**Arina:** No! ... Ehm ... I wanted to say ... it's not that I don't like you! ... No, that is ... it isn't true that I don't like you ... that is ... here …

She starts to get confused, shaking her head trying to say something smart, but she can't. The young man comes up to her, placing his lips on the blonde's ones, she closes her eyes instinctively, feeling the softness and sweetness of the boy.  
That's her first kiss and already feels something incredible inside her, unable to restrain herself so she raises her arms, bringing them to the boy's neck, clinging to him in that sweet moment.  
She still doesn't believe what is happening, she has found a wonderful guy that believes she's a special girl, and she is kissing him.  
How could this happen so fast?  
She doesn't care about it, she just wants to remain tight in his arms yet another bit.

 

***

 

While the two lovebirds are flirting tenderly, three brats observe them from behind a bush.

 **Fabio:** ...what are they doing? That sucks!  
**Claudio:** Uh ... but it's a nice thing if you do it with the person you want to be always with...  
**Nozomi:** Uh ... a kiss with Primo-sama ...

The little girl puts her hands on her face, embarrassed.

 **Claudio:** Hey, stop thinking about your ancestor!

The redhead tickles the brunette, giggling.

 **Fabio:** Well, maybe you're right... maybe it's not so bad if you do it with the one you like...  
**Nozomi:** Hey, it will be surely beautiful! But .. Claudio, stop!  
**Claudio:** What is it? I'm just playing! But ... wouldn't you want to kiss me?  
**Nozomi:** Ehhh? No! I just want to kiss Primo-sama!  
**Fabio:** Uh, and if there were no Primo-sama, who would you kiss?  
**Nozomi:** Huh? If Primo-sama doesn't exist...? Uhm ... I think ... G-san.  
**Fabio:** ... who is this G-san?  
**Claudio:** Vongola Primo's guardian of the storm.  
**Fabio:** But it's always a dead guy!  
**Nozomi:** Don't say it, have respect for them!

She gets up and goes around the bush, looking for a better view to observe the two lovebirds.

 **Claudio:** Well, I'm sure that sooner or later I'll be able to kiss Nono.  
**Fabio:** Hey, what are you saying?! I will kiss Nono.  
**Claudio:** Why should you? Do you like Nono?  
**Fabio:** Um ... dunno ... she is pretty ... Why can't I kiss her? I've known her longer than you!  
**Claudio:** You can't kiss a girl just because you want to kiss her! You must kiss her because you like her!  
**Fabio:** And then I like her.  
**Claudio:** Eh? Don't you like Arina-san?

Fabio seems confused, he glances at Arina and Alessandro and returns to observe Claudio.

 **Fabio:** Yes, I really like Arina-san. But Nono is pretty.  
**Claudio:** You have to decide who you like the most!  
**Fabio:** Why can't I have both of them?  
**Claudio:** ... It doesn't work like that, Fabio. You must pick just one.  
**Fabio:** Oh ... okay, since Arina-san has already kissed that guy, then I'll kiss Nono.  
**Claudio:** So is this a challenge?  
**Fabio:** Dunno ... that is, I think so ...

The chubby boy seems to think about it a few moments.

 **Fabio:** Yes, absolutely. I'll win!  
**Claudio:** I won't let you have Nono!  
**Fabio:** But I'm sure Nono will kiss me!  
**Claudio:** Let's do this, the one who first kisses Nono will be the winner!  
**Fabio:** Ok! I'm fine!  
**Claudio:** Who will win can have Nono, who loses no longer have to think of kissing her!  
**Fabio:** I agree!

The two shake hands with confidence and a serious look, nodding.

Meanwhile, Nozomi is perched behind a bush watching her friend kissing her new boyfriend.

 **Nozomi:** Phew ... I wonder if one day I could also kiss Primo-sama ...

In her mind there's the image of the blond man, with the ardent shinuki of the sky on his forehead, as gets close to the face of the girl and kisses her softly.  
She blushes.

 **Nozomi:** Ah, Primo-sama ... it would be great ...

When she comes back watching at the two, she realizes Arina is looking at her with anger and embarrassment.  
The brunette quickly gets up and runs away towards the main road, while Arina shake her head with disappointment.

Also Fabio and Claudio follow the girl, they walk through the streets toward the plaza to the south, then stop suddenly and with an incredulous expression.  
A young dark-haired man is walking hand in hand with a raven-haired girl, who has her hair tied in two braids, below her ears.  
The two are walking in front of some windows, talking animatedly.

 **Fabio:** Hey, those are ...  
**Nozomi** ** **:**** Yes, yes! They're Lambo-nii and I-pin-nee!  
**Fabio:** So cute, are they also engaged?  
**Claudio:** They have been engaged for a long time, right?  
**Nozomi:** Yep!  
**Fabio:** I wonder if they will get married ...  
**Claudio:** Why do you care?  
**Fabio:** It must be really nice to get engaged ...  
**Claudio:** Yeah ...  
**Nozomi:** Mhh...

The brunette blushes, while walking away with her two friend.

 

***

 

 **Alessandro:** Um ... that's your pupil, right?  
**Arina:** Uh ... oh yeah, she's Nozomi .. forgive her, she's just a curious child ...

The boy smiles.

 **Alessandro:** Don't worry. She didn't do anything wrong, right? Looks like she's a nice child... I'd like to meet her, one day.  
**Arina:** Uh ... I'll surely introduce her to you, but be careful! She's a scamp!  
**Alessandro:** Ahaha it doesn't matter, I'm sure we'll get along well.

Only an hour later the door of the blonde's house opens, and when she enters immediately notices that there is something strange.  
She turns on the light, puffing.

 **Arina:** Hey, you shouldn't get into other people's homes when the owner isn't there.

She closes the door behind her and goes to the bedroom, finding the little girl on the bed, she's moving her legs while reading a comic book.  
The blonde approaches her pupil and grabs the book, and the child starts screaming with anger.

 **Nozomi:** Hey! I was reading it!  
**Arina:** I don't care! I told you that you must not get in other people's homes when they are not there!  
**Nozomi:** I have the keys! You said that this place could be my home too!  
**Arina:** And so are you taking advantage of people's kindness?  
**Nozomi:** Huh?  
**Arina:** I'm not mad, but you can't just do it. This is also your home, but it isn't nice to sneak in when I'm not here, because this is first of all MY home.

The girl snorts.

 **Arina:** Have you studied? You have some homework to do!  
**Nozomi:** It's summer! Which homework you can do in summer?  
**Arina:** Nozo! You have to study!  
**Nozomi:** But .. but ...

The small girl seems almost to burst into tears and the blonde sits on the bed next to her, with her legs crossed.

 **Arina:** Nee, Nozo ... why were you spying on us, today?

The girl lends the comic to her and the girl grabs it right away, hugging it.

 **Nozomi:** ... I wanted to see what lovers do together ...  
**Arina:** ... How do you know that we're engaged? We got engaged a little while ago ...  
**Nozomi:** Huh? Weren't you already engaged? You're always together, like lovers ...  
**Arina:** Oh, no ... even friends are often together, and go out for shopping ...  
**Nozomi:** But you kissed him!

Arina blushes violently.

 **Arina:** Ah ... um ... well ... because he asked to me... to be together ...  
**Nozomi:** Oh ... so I came at the right time ...  
**Arina:** Ah ... yes ...

The blonde is scratching her head, nervous, when she notices a letter resting on the bedside table.

 **Arina:** Nozo ... what ...

The little girl looks up at the white envelope that the blonde girl is clutching, looking at it with a broad smile.

 **Nozomi:** Uhm ... it was in your mailbox ... I put it there.

The blonde quickly opens the letter and reads it, with her heart beating faster.

 **Nozomi:** ... It's from your brother, right?

Arina is smiling tenderly until her face becomes surprised, looking at the words in disbelief and starts shaking her head.

 **Nozomi:** ... Huh? What's going on?

The blonde shakes her head again, feigning indifference. She gets up and walks into the kitchen quickly, leaving the girl puzzled.  
She sits on one of the chairs that surround the white table and reads the letter again, with palpitation.

 **Arina:** He's coming ... here ...

She starts to laugh, she's very happy.

 **Arina:** My brother is coming here!


	6. Target 6 - An important Lesson

**Target 6 - An important Lesson**

****

 

Arina and Nozomi throw their bags in the air and start running happily, jumping and laughing together as they were sisters.  
The blonde girl lays on the ground and embraces the sand with love, happy to be finally free from school and homework.  
The other two children reach quickly the two girls on the line that divides the beach from the clear sea, sitting down next to them.

 **Fabio:** Sea, seaaaaaaaaaaa!

The beach is a small paradise surrounded by cliffs, hidden and protected by the sight of prying eyes.  
It isn't so small, it is actually large enough to accommodate the most important members of the Vongola family and their relatives. That same beach is frequently used for the summer holidays of the boss and his guardians, when they don't have to leave for vacation or cruise around Italy and abroad.  
The beach is clean, the sea is always clear and it is continuously under control of the experts, just because it's the Vongola's private beach.

The group can hear the noise of people opening their beach umbrellas. Arina turns behind her, looking at the guardian of the rain, Yamamoto Takeshi, who's opening some umbrellas helped by the guardian of the storm, Gokudera Hayato.  
Lambo and I-Pin are opening their own umbrella at the right of the entrance, next to Vongola Decimo's one, Sawada Tsunayoshi, who's taking his blouse off, helped by his wife Kyoko.  
On the left umbrella there's Ryohei, Kyoko's brother and Nozomi's uncle, who already has taken off his clothes and he's lying on a towel, wearing sunglasses. Beside him, his wife Hana is spreading a little bit of sunscreen on the shoulders of their son Kotaro, who's playing with the sand.  
Under another umbrella, a little farther on, there's a beautiful purple-haired woman who's wearing a sexy bikini and is arranging her hair.

Arina observes all with curiosity, but that situation is not new for her. Every summer they spend some of their free time on the beach and since she was little, when she was taken into the family by Decimo, she lived in close contact with them and she regularly attends to similar scenes.  
She also knows that there isn't one of the guardians, Hibari Kyoya. The man in question is the guardian of cloud, but he isn't with them and he doesn't have a very close relationship with the family. Although he seems to respect Decimo he keeps his distance from them, remaining enough detached from the family and never participates in trips and holidays.  
It is very rare to meet him at the mansion because he always has something to do, but when it happens to be there it's somewhat scary. He seems to emit a disturbing and suffocating aura, anyone who meets him is concerned about their safety.

She turns back to the children and sees that Nozomi is happily jumping together with Claudio and Fabio. She knows that her pupil has finally finished the holiday homework, Arina has imposed her to do it immediately so she could enjoy the rest of the summer. As a reward for her promotion in the next school year and for correctly performing her duty, that day her father decided to take her to beach with the whole family.  
Arina knows that Decimo was very busy lately, so that day is really a special prize that can help him to relax.  
Thanks to her friend I-Pin she knows that the family, along with many other allies, is looking for a way to fight a company who wants to enter their territory to carry out the misdeeds.  
In addition, Decimo is also looking for the killer of Arina's parents.

She sighs.  
After all, she doesn't want to think about it. If the man has decided to spend a nice family day at the beach, it means that that day should be wonderful for everyone.

Nozomi is still hopping around when her beautiful mother approaches her and stops the child, placing her hands on the daughter's shoulders.

 **Kyoko:** Stop! You don't want to throw yourself into the sea with all your clothes, I hope.

The woman's expression is serious enough but Arina knows she's joking and, in fact, her eye brightens up a few moments later, when the daughter sulks.

 **Nozomi:** But why?! It's funny!  
**Kyoko:** Saa, saa, Nozo-chan, why don't you show to everyone your beautiful swim suit that your mother bought you?

The woman helps the child to slip off her white dress, revealing her light blue swimsuit.  
The small girl blushes.

 **Claudio:** Waaa so cute, Nono!

The two children observe the brunette from head to toe and the redhead also starts to giggle, while the woman folds her daughter's dress.  
Claudio and Fabio take off quickly their t-shirts and shorts, they throw their shoes in the air and jump into the water along with Nozomi, while Arina collects the clothes that the two messy boys have left around.

 **Kyoko:** Don't stray too far from the shore!

She observes the three jumping into the water and then turns to Arina who nods, smiling.

 **Arina:** I got it, Kyoko-san! If they dare to swim too far from the shore, I'll hit them.

The woman laughs softly.

 **Kyoko:** You have permission to spank that scamp!  
**Arina:** With pleasure!

The blonde girl takes her dress off and reveals her emerald bikini, Kyoko takes it gently from her hands and folds it, putting it back together with the children's clothing under their umbrella, where Decimo is already sitting on the towel next to Kyoko's one and he is watching the kids splash loudly in the water.

 **Tsuna:** Look, they already have so fun and we are just arrived here.  
**Kyoko:** Nozo-chan couldn't wait, summer is an important time for children. It means sea, sand and fun.  
**Tsuna:** Ha ha, I remember the days when we went to the beach to relax and have fun.  
**Kyoko:** uh, with Gokudera-kun and the others? I remember them as well, those times. But we were older than Nozo-chan.

The boss laughs.

 **Tsuna:** But when we were in the water, we became children.  
**Kyoko:** Oh, there's no doubt about this!

The woman takes place on the pink towel next to her husband, while still looking at her daughter and their friends playing with the young Arina, who has started a swimming race. The group is now happily swimming from one side of the beach to the other.

All the four are having fun when Fabio suddenly stops, observing an indefinite point as long as the other three turn toward him.

 **Claudio:** Hey, what's up?  
**Fabio:** Uh, there's something on the rocks! There, you see?

Arina and Nozomi quickly reaches Fabio and Claudio.

 **Arina:** Never mind, don't swim there! You might get hurt!  
**Fabio:** Wait, I just want to know what it is!  
**Arina:** no, no! It's too dangerous! Hey, Fabio!

The girl looks toward the beach, nobody seems to be looking on their side and the only nearest people are Lambo and I-Pin, laughing on the shore, but they aren't paying attention to them.

 **Arina:** no, damn it.

The child is moving toward the rock, followed by Claudio and Nozomi. Arina, which fortunately is the fastest of the three, overtakes them and stops in front of the children.

 **Arina:** Stop, kids! Are you crazy?! If you get close to the rocks you might get hurt!  
**Fabio:** But .. but ...

The blonde shakes her head.

 **Arina:** Leave it to me, go away from here.

With a disappointed look, Fabio and Claudio swim back while Nozomi remains there, observing Arina with angry expression.

 **Arina:** Nozo ... go back.  
**Nozomi:** No. Why does it has to be always you? We could see by ourselves, Fabio is the one who has seen that thing, it isn't right!  
**Arina:** It isn't about right or wrong, you are too young to push yourself over there. If you want, I'm going there to see what's that, otherwise let's go back to play.  
**Nozomi:** We aren't child! I'm seven years old!  
**Arina:** Oh, seven, of course. You really are an adult, you know?  
**Nozomi:** Don't make fun of me! I'm not kidding, you think that it is so difficult to swim down there to see what the hell is on the rock? It's not for adults only, don't say shits!  
**Arina:** HEY! What is this behaviour, Nozo? Who taught you these words? You are rude!  
**Nozomi:** Look, at school almost everyone talk like this, it isn't my fault!  
**Arina:** And since when do you imitate them? Weren't you different? Weren't you better than them?  
**Nozomi:** I say it because you made me upset!  
**Arina:** Upset, you say? And do you think it's a good excuse to talk like that?!  
**Nozomi:** Stop it, don't talk to me like if I'm a child!  
**Arina:** You ARE a child. You're young, you're inexperienced and you can't understand anything yet!  
**Nozomi:** So am I the one who don't understand anything? And what about you, you even bothered to find out who killed your parents! You are stupid!

The blonde girl can't believe that she actually has said that, she looks at the girl with anger and she almost doesn't want to spank her.  
Every so often it happens that the two have a fight, but it never happened that Nozomi has said such things, neither has happened that Arina has lost her temper because of the child.

 **Arina:** How the hell do you dare to say such things about my family? You should hold your tongue and stay in your place, don't meddle in my life!  
**Nozomi:** I'm not the one who has interfered in your life, it's you who has meddled in mine!  
**Arina:** What are you talking about, brat? You are the one who is talking about my stuff and you're judging me! You, a brat of the elementary school! I don't want to be judged by a child!  
**Nozomi:** I'm not a brat and I judge who I want, do you understand? You've interfered in my life, when you do something cool you always is praised by papa, and if I do something good he still praises only you!  
**Arina:** It's obvious that your father thanks me for your grades, who do you think is the person who has followed you throughout the school years, forcing you to do your homework despite having to study for herself?  
**Nozomi:** I didn't need to do those useless homework, I already knew everything! I already know everything because I learned many things from books and Primo-sama!  
**Arina:** Stop talking about those stupid dreams! You're destroying your brain, you don't talk about anything else!  
**Nozomi:** I talk about whatever the fuck I want!  
**Arina:** Nozo! Stop to speak like this or I'll tell your father!

The child gasps, a tear goes down on her face and she almost doesn't burst into tears.

 **Nozomi:** You ... you only can go to papa to say things! If I do something bad, papa yells at me. If I do something good, papa praises you! Papa loves you more than me, you're taking my papa away from me, I hate you!

Arina can't say anything, she is confused and observes the child while swimming toward the shore and running away in tears, reaching the left side of the beach.  
The teen forgets about the mysterious object behind the rocks and also swims toward the shore, sitting thoughtfully.  
Has the child always thought about something like that?  
Arina doesn't know what it means to have a father and, in fact, she loves Decimo as if he was her real dad.  
Is she really stealing his love from Nozomi? It's true that Decimo thanks her if Nozo gets good grades and when she does something good, because Arina is the one who is taking care of her as a real tutor.  
But doesn't Nozo receive compliments too?  
She really can't understand it.

Kyoko sits next to her, but Arina doesn't move because she is immersed in her thoughts.

 **Kyoko:** You both had a fight, apparently.

Arina looks first at Kyoko, and then her eyes look for the small child around the beach, hoping that she isn't hurt or she isn't in some dangerous place.  
She understand at once that, in spite of the quarrel and her anger for having been judged by a little girl, she really loves Nozomi and is concerned about her safety.  
She has realized that Nozomi has misunderstood the situation and mistakenly believes that Arina wants to take her father away from her.  
At that moment she feels stupid for never having understood something so important. She wants to run to hug and reassure her, saying that her father loves her and that she doesn't have to be afraid of anything.

 **Kyoko:** Don't worry, Tsu-kun is with her.

The woman has understood why the girl is so worried and she has responded to her gaze.

 **Arina:** ... Kyoko-san ... I think that Nozomi ... has got the wrong idea ...  
**Kyoko:** uh? What did she say?  
**Arina:** Well ... I don't understand ... but she said Decimo loves me more than her because he always praises me ... but Decimo also makes a lot of gifts and compliments to her ... in short, he doesn't ignore her... but then why she said those things?

The woman sighed, watching the sea.

 **Kyoko:** You know, Arina, children have much need of their parents because they are the pillars of their little world. Nozo-chan needs her father all for herself because he is "her hero," and despite he doesn't ignore her, she is jealous because he shares his affection with you.  
**Arina:** But .. but he doesn't like me more than her, that is ...  
**Kyoko:** Surely not, but in her eyes you are special to her father just like her, so she sees you as a sort of rival who wants to take advantage of the affection of her father, and that could take him away from her... and I think that now that she has found out that you don't have parents she is more convinced about it.  
**Arina:** ... what can I do?  
**Kyoko:** uhm ... I think you should let her know that you are her friend, one of her precious friend, and that she can trust you.  
**Arina:** I don't know... she is so angry ...  
**Kyoko:** ... huh? Is there something down there?

Kyoko looks at the rocks, where the boys were swimming a little earlier.

Without thinking twice Arina gets up quickly, leaving the woman and jumping in the water, swimming towards the point.  
She reaches a bay and leans over it, noticing that there is something that shines in the sunlight.  
A glass bottle, stoppered with a cork and with a paper inside, floats wedged between the rocks.  
She bends over and takes it, sitting on the rocks and opening it, trying to remove the piece of paper.

 **Arina:** uh ...? This …

She smiles, immediately after having found the serenity that she had lost, putting the paper into the bottle.  
She knows it was stupid to have a fight with Nozomi who's, despite what she said, just a child.  
Arina is conscious she has said cruel things to her about her dreams and she couldn't even imagine that the girl thinks of her as a possible rival. Nozomi loves her parents, especially her father, she sees him a little because he is busy, so Arina can understand that the child needs him and how much she wants her father for herself. The same behaviour is typical in older siblings who hate the younger ones, which usually attract to themself all the attention of their parents.

She swims to the shore and meets the two children, who are looking at the small Nozomi sitting on some rocks far from there.  
Next to her there's Tsuna, who is caressing her head with love.  
The blonde girl approaches the two slowly and waits when the brunette looks up and notices her, so she shows her the bottle she just found.

 **Arina:** ... Nozo ... I found a message in this bottle. There is a treasure, do you want to look for it with me?

The brunette looks at the bottle and then her, saying nothing but with a perplexed look.

 **Arina:** I want to look for this treasure with you, will you come?  
**Tsuna:** That sounds fun, why don't you go?

The little girl looks at her father, but she doesn't speak.

 **Tsuna:** Hey, Nozo-chan. Shouldn't you help a person who asks for help?  
**Nozomi:** ... ah ... mh ...  
**Tsuna:** Do you want to let her go alone? Without your help she won't go very far.  
**Arina:** Yes, in fact I need you! With your intuitions we'll find it for sure!

Even Claudio and Fabio, who were listening at the conversation, approach the three.

 **Claudio:** Yes, come on, Nono-chan! Let's go find the treasure together!

When the brunette sees that they need her, she wipes her tears and nods, though still a little reluctant, reaching the two with a slight smile.

 **Arina:** Nozo ...

The girl turns to the blonde and watches her, handing the bottle to her.

 **Arina:** ... I'm sorry... without you we are lost, so please guide us.

Nozomi takes the bottle and observe first Arina and then her father, who stands up and look at both.

 **Nozomi:** ... no, I'm sorry. Thanks for asking ...  
**Arina:** Seriously?! What could we do without you? You're the boss of our little family!

She giggles, she doesn't even realize what she said. She has defined their group as a "family", just like Decimo's one.  
Perhaps, after all, they really are a family, they're always together, despite their different ages.  
Arina, which is much older, is forced to be together with the brat and her friends, but she can't admit she actually enjoy it.  
She smiles, at the end she likes them so much and she is happy that Nozomi has forgotten about the fight and is focusing on the treasure hunt.

 

***

 

The quartet wanders endlessly around the beach, counting the steps, observing and poking around under umbrellas, finding some other buried messages and laughing together as if nothing has happened.  
Everyone are looking at them with curiosity and also Tsuna, who has returned under his umbrella and lies down next to his wife.

 **Gokudera:** Uh, Juudaime ... they are working so hard, huh?

The albino man leans against the umbrella, watching the bizarre group.

 **Tsuna:** Exactly what I wanted, after all.  
**Gokudera:** At this rate, they're going to find the treasure in less than ten minutes.  
**Tsuna:** Of course, Nozo-chan can figure out the riddles with lot of ease.  
**Gokudera:** ... Vongola hyper intuition, uh?  
**Tsuna:** Well, it's not just that. She's also smart, my lovely little girl.

He smiles.

 **Kyoko:** I'm glad they made it up ... luckily the bottle was there just at the right time.  
**Tsuna:** In the end it went well anyway, right?  
**Gokudera:** The important thing is that they're having fun ... and that their bond becomes more solid.  
**Tsuna:** ... Nozomi needs this affection, but she also needs to smile. She was born in this world that it doesn't belong to her ... I don't want to think about it now, I only want that she won't have to regret anything about her childhood and her adolescence.

 

***

 

A few minutes later Arina finds the last message. She doesn't read it but decides to give it to Nozomi, who looks surprised.

 **Arina:** You must read it, boss!

The brunette smiles and takes the paper, opening and reading it.

 **Nozomi:** So ...

"If you have found this message it means that you are very good! My compliments!  
I was already certain of your victory, but this give me a further confirmation. You are a good team, you have advanced all together without succumbing to fatigue and have fought cheerfully, helping each another until the end.  
What have you learned from this adventure? Has your bond been strengthened?  
Think about this, be aware of your abilities and how the presence of everyone is important in a team. "

 **Claudio:** Huh?! Who has done this stuff?

Arina looks amazed and perplexed at it, just like the children.

"Be complementary, don't give up your bonds and don't think you can do something by your own.  
Always be yourself and be together.  
And now, Nozo-chan, turn yourself and come to embrace your daddy that loves you so much "

The brunette reads the last sentence unable to hold back her smile and her embarrassment.  
As soon as she finished reading it she looks at the two little boys who're smiling, still in disbelief. Then she looks at Arina, they had a fight just before but now it seems that everything is fine.  
The child smiles, throws the paper in the air and turns, running towards the umbrella where there is Decimo, who's waiting for his daughter with open arms.


	7. Target 7 - A Chocolate Cake

**Target 7 - A Chocolate Cake**

****

 

Everyone can smell a sweet scent from the kitchens of the Vongola mansion, the cooks are already preparing dishes for lunch even though it's only half past ten in the morning.  
The kitchens are huge halls and there is a department for everything.

A lady with a sweet look and generous forms is preparing pasta, strictly home-made, with a beaming smile on her face. She is engaged in laying the flour with concentration and then beats eggs, so cleans her hands on a white apron.  
The dark-haired woman often checks the other helpers who are already preparing the dishes of the day.

The mansion is daily occupied by many people, including the family of the boss, guardians and all the helpers and technicians, including staff members as the waiters, butlers, gardeners and cooks, so they need many ingredients and a lot of manpower.  
In addition, the meals are divided into several stages depending on who should eat first. The Boss and his family always has priority, together with his guardians. Afterwards, the table is prepared in the rooms on the first floor to the members of the technical support and overseers. The staff meals are consumed in rooms on the ground floor, the area dedicated to the easement where there are kitchens, deposits and personal chambers.

She observes the working of her helpers and seems to notice someone moving at the entrance, so turns quickly and carefully observes the surroundings.  
Dora is the head chef with Fabrizio, her husband, who takes care of the pastry, and hates when someone comes in her kitchens.  
The woman walks close to the tables that fill the room and is looking towards the entrance, waiting for the intruder to make a misstep.  
Smiles when finally notices a shadow, she decides to overtake the table and go through the shelf, reaching the other side and appearing just in front of a child, who was sneaking crawling.

 **Dora:** Sawada Nozomi.

The small girl stops, almost frightened, raising her head and meeting the stern face of the woman. The child tries to bribe her with a cute and sweet look, but the woman sighs.

 **Dora:** No, don't fool me. You know you don't have to come here and I always find you wandering among the tables.  
**Nozomi:** But ... I washed my hands! And I also have my hair tied back!  
**Dora:** I don't care, miss.

The child gets up, swaying a bit.

 **Dora:** You'll have to wait for the lunch like everyone else.  
**Nozomi:** Um ... I don't want to eat ...  
**Dora:** Yes, and I'm not here to cook. Young Lady is always in the kitchen to get their hands on the side dishes and sweets.  
**Nozomi:** ... but today there are no chips ...  
**Dora:** And of course, you've eaten them yesterday. I also have to care about your health, you can't just eat junk food and fries! A chef has to cook especially genuine things.

The girl glares at one cooker in the distance, the pot above it is filled with a greenish liquid.

 **Nozomi:** ... genuine things?  
**Dora:** Vegetables are good, missy. Even Madam always says it, you should give more attention to your mother.  
**Nozomi:** But ... I'm here because ... well …

At some point the child stops talking, she closes her eyes and let herself be carried by a heady scent. She throws herself into the adjoining room, sniffing the air and reaching Fabrizio, the husband of Dora, a man who is also quite sturdy and with graying hair, who is intent in preparing the chocolate eclairs.  
The woman, sighing again, reaches the girl in the other room.

 **Dora:** My goodness, what do I have to do with this brat? Hey!  
**Fabrizio:** Oh, look at who we have here!

The man has a funny mustache and a sweet look as his wife, he smiles tenderly at the girl who stopped to look at those delicious desserts with a dreamy look.

 **Dora:** Signorina!  
**Nozomi:** They are gorgeous and the _scentest_! How have you made them?  
**Fabrizio:** With much love!

The small girl gasps.

 **Nozomi:** Love?! Can you cook with love?  
**Fabrizio:** With love you can do everything, Young Lady!

The girl smiles, leaning across the table and observing those delicacies.

 **Nozomi:** So I'm supposed to make delicious dishes with all my love!  
**Dora:** Do you want to cook? Leave that job to us~

The woman blinks with passion.

 **Nozomi:** No, no! In my last night dream I saw Primo-sama who went to the restaurant and ate good things and he seemed so happy ... if I make some delicious meals, Primo-sama will be happy! So I decided that I want to make a cake for Primo-sama!  
**Dora:** Uh ...? A cake?  
**Nozomi:** Yes, a supergreatbig cake, full of my love for Primo-sama!  
**Fabrizio:** It will be fun, do you want to try?  
**Dora:** Fabrizio, we must work!

\- I'll take care of it! - a female voice surprises the trio behind them. The blonde haired woman approaches them with her serene gaze, she is looking at the child with love.

 **Nozomi:** Mama!  
**Kyoko:** If you want to cook, your mama can help you!

The woman kneels, observing the child.

 **Kyoko:** So, how about cooking a nice cake for dad and your friends?  
**Nozomi:** YES!

The little girl with shining eyes follows her mother to the supermarket, where they have to buy the proper ingredients to make their exquisite work.  
The woman looks through the shelves with a thoughtful look, taking the index finger under the lips and studying each product.  
Meanwhile Nozomi is jumping around, browsing through the shelves.

 **Nozomi:** I think I remember this supermarket!  
**Kyoko:** Uh, it's weird, it's far from home.  
**Nozomi:** So why did we come here?  
**Kyoko:** This week there are good offers.  
**Nozomi:** But I remember it anyway.  
**Kyoko:** It's strange that you remember it, the last time you were here you were about two years old!  
**Nozomi:** So I was right!  
**Kyoko:** You were with Lambo and I-Pin. Lambo insisted on coming here, he wanted to take advantage of an interesting offer.  
**Nozomi:** Uh? What offer?  
**Kyoko:** I don't remember, I think it was about about tickets for a concert, you could get them discounted if you purchased certain sponsored products ...  
**Nozomi:** Oh, it's so like him.  
**Kyoko:** In any case, he had to give up. He had carelessly lost sight of you and couldn't find you anywhere... Your father was so worried that when he received the call immediately ran to your search!  
**Nozomi:** ... and did he find me?  
**Kyoko:** Well ... you're here, right? he found you in a park near the store, sitting on the ground. You were fine ... but Tsu-kun was going to die of an heart attack.

The small girl blushes and turns, trying not to laugh. She tries to imagine the scene, her father who is looking for her everywhere with a desperate look.

 **Nozomi:** Poor papa...

The girl picked up a box of chocolate chips and observes it thoughtfully.

 **Kyoko:** mhh ... What do we do?  
**Nozomi:** A cake!  
**Kyoko:** Chocolate cake?

The child jumps cheerfully, nodding to the mother who is starting to take all the ingredients from the shelves and puts them quickly into the shopping trolley.

After paying the cashier the two leave the oppressive store so they can finally be able to breathe a little fresh air.

 **Kyoko:** We have everything! Now we can go to cook our beautiful cake ~

The brunette, who is carrying the bag with the ingredients, raises her head and her eyes are caught by some men wearing a midnight blue jacket with silver decorations. On the fabric there are engraved the initials L.C.s printed on the chest, that particular seems to attract the child's attention.  
That letters aren't really something, but the girl still looks at them persistently.  
She follows the three men with her eyes, they enter a building on the corner. It's a nice and quite building with luxuriant plants at the entrance, there are no signs and looks like a normal apartment building.

 **Kyoko:** Nozo? Nozo! What's going on?

The small Vongola turns to her mother and takes her hand, following her back home without disobey.

For the next hour, the two Vongola's maidens barricade themselves in the pastry department to prepare their cake.  
The woman takes the chocolate into small pieces and put it on to boil with the butter, waiting until it melts, while the small girl starts to sift the flour with cocoa and then put it all into a container.  
Immediately after Kyoko helps her daughter to separate the egg yolks from the whites, then combines them with the sugar and milk.  
Nozomi mixes everything adding the flour and cocoa, which she previously sifted, and Kyoko adds the chocolate with the butter she has melted.  
The woman whips the egg whites, while the small girl gives her the salt. Soon after, helped by her mother, she butters and flours the baking pan, and then they put it in the oven at one hundred and seventy degrees.

By now they should just wait that the cake is baked, the little girl looks at the oven with bright eyes and she's humming, next to her mother who smiles with love.

 **Kyoko:** It will be very good, you'll see!  
**Nozomi:** Papa will eat it?  
**Kyoko:** Of course he will! He can't miss a delicious cake prepared by his small Nozo-chan!  
**Nozomi:** It's done also by mama!  
**Kyoko:** Yeah, by his women!

The baby come back to sing more loudly when, shortly after, the oven's alarm sounds because the it's already past half an hour and Kyoko extracts the baking pan from the hot oven, resting it on the table and helping Nozomi to put over the powdered sugar.

The two, bringing the cake on a tray with a bit of orange juice, cross the threshold of the meeting room, where Vongola Decimo and his six guardians are sitting around a long dark table.

 **Tsuna:** Oh, what we have here!

The woman glances at her daughter, she is approaching her father with a smile, she places the jug with the juice.

 **Nozomi:** Chocolate cake!  
**Tsuna:** Uhm, sounds great! And who made it?  
**Nozomi:** Nozo-chan and mama!  
**Tsuna:** So it must be exquisite!

The guardians are smiling and giggling, the woman cuts the cake and give to everyone their share while Nozomi pours the juice with care.

 **Yamamoto:** It smells good, It will be yummy!  
**Gokudera:** A cake made by the little brat? I hope it isn't poisoned!  
**Nozomi:** Hey, I'm not Bianchi nee-san!

The man chuckles when the child glances at him. She just can't stand him, Gokudera always teases her, even if he does it for fun.

 **Lambo:** Um, I can't wait to taste it!  
**Ryohei:** The cake made by my sister and my niece will be EXTREMELY good!  
**Chrome:** Thank you, I'll gladly taste it.  
**Hibari:** It's just a normal cake. You don't need a graduation to prepare it.

The boss takes his share and, after a few seconds of silence, he is the first to taste it.  
The heart of the little girl beats faster, she observes her father and hopes that he appreciates her efforts.  
After a few moments, the man smiles and looks at the little girl.

 **Tsuna:** It's truly delicious, well done!

Nozomi jumps for joy, she runs to her father who hugs her, while Kyoko smiles and the guardians begins to eat their portions.

 

***

 

It's now lunch time and the blonde teen is busy in cleaning her small apartment. She is sweeping in the bath when the doorbell rings, making her jump.  
She literally throws the broom in the air and runs to open the door, finding herself in front of a blond boy with emerald eyes, totally her look-like.

 **Arina:** LUCA!

The girl hugs him and he squeezes her, remaining tight in the warm embrace for at least one minute.  
A moment of happiness for two brothers that they haven't seen each other since their birth.


	8. Target 8 - The Twins

**Target 8 - The Twins**

****

 

The blonde takes a bottle of lemon tea from the the fridge, then approaches the table and pours it in the glass of her brother, while he's looking around with curiosity.  
She watches him sideways, still very embarrassed and glad they could finally meet after years and years of letters and faded words.  
The two hadn't seen each other since he was adopted, even though they live in the same region he lives in a small village to the south and he rarely goes anywhere, mainly because of his parents.  
Many years have passed and she was sure she would never see him, but after receiving the last letter announcing his arrival she was in panic, between happiness and anxiety to see him again.  
The young man comes back to observe her as she sits down in front of him to pour herself some tea that she relishes slowly, smiling at him while he does the same.

 **Luca:** Really ... you live here all alone and you don't have anyone who helps you ... how can you do it?  
**Arina:** Unlike you I'm responsible enough.  
**Luca:** What do you mean? I am also responsible, but I don't like living alone. Too many things to do.  
**Arina:** Well, in the end it's nice to have my own independence ... although mine isn't complete ...  
**Luca:** You still depend economically from Juudaime.  
**Arina:** Yeah …

The girl sighs, taking another sip, as she looks at the boy's face, almost equal to her own. He only lacks of a mole under his lips to the left and he would have been her perfect copy.

 **Luca:** What are you going to do after school?  
**Arina:** I think I will be a teacher or a tutor.  
**Luca:** What? Tutor? That ma'am who teach to the children of the rich people?  
**Arina:** Ma'am ...? There are better words to define it ...  
**Luca:** I know but... that remind me of the nineteenth century ...  
**Arina:** Think of her in a modern way.  
**Luca:** It is so difficult ... but why did you choose this one?  
**Arina:** I love teaching to children.

The boy observes a picture that portrays his sister embracing a little girl with lively eyes.

 **Luca:** mh ... is she...?

The blonde raises her head and looks in the direction of Luca's eyes.

 **Arina:** Nozomi.  
**Luca:** Oh, I knew it was her, you always talk about her.  
**Arina:** Because she is always around!

The two laugh, Luca has to stop drinking otherwise he could spit his tea all over.

 **Luca:** She seems really cheerful, I'm sure you'll do a great job.  
**Arina:** She seems it, you know.  
**Luca:** Your letters are very explanatory, sis. But then again, you'll do a great job.  
**Arina:** I hope so, for both of us.

Luca smiles, looking at the picture again.

 **Luca:** Do you want to introduce her to me?

The girl shakes her head, she's quite sad.

 **Arina:** She recently discovered about our biological parents ... I don't want to put her aware of anything else of me, she should be carefree and instead she worries about many things.  
**Luca:** She is as smart as her tutor.  
**Arina:** She is, but not because of me. She is something like a genius, but... I think it's because some dreams ...  
**Luca:** uh?  
**Arina:** Forget it, it's complicated. One day I'll tell you.

The blonde girl runs an hand through her hair, looking at the disappointed gaze of her brother.

 **Arina:** ... Decimo discovered the murderess of our biological parents.

Luca gasps, surprised by the news.

 **Luca:** Really? Who?  
**Arina:** I don't know, of course they don't tell me anything and I don't want to know.  
**Luca:** ...  
**Arina:** Luca ... I don't seek revenge, I'm just glad that he found out something and he is doing something about them, so at least our parents will rest in peace.  
**Luca:** But at least we should know who is the culprit...  
**Arina:** I don't want, I couldn't control myself.  
**Luca:** ... you just said you didn't seek revenge.  
**Arina:** I'm still a human being, Luca. If I know who is him, I could get angry ... I doubt that I would continue to mind my own business for so long.  
**Luca:** Yeah, you're right. If I manage to know who is that man, surely I would put his head in the toilet.  
**Arina:** Luca!

The boy laughs, calming her.

 **Luca:** The most important thing is... that Juudaime catches him and gives him what he deserves.  
**Arina:** Yeah, so finally our souls will be calmer too.  
**Luca:** And we'll forget about our past.  
**Arina:** No more bad dreams ...  
**Luca:** I also sometimes have bad dreams ... do you also remember that day?  
**Arina:** I don't know if "remember" may be the right word ... after all, we were so small ...  
**Luca:** But in the end they are memories ... bad memories ...  
**Arina:** Let's change the topic, come on.  
**Luca:** mh.

The boy sighed, resting his glass on the table and fiddling it with the palms of the hands, rotating it to the left and right.

 **Arina:** And you? Are you studying?  
**Luca:** You can't actually call it 'study'.  
**Arina:** Just follow the teachers and keep your grades high ...  
**Luca:** No, sis, I already told you. In that school ... if there are teachers is already a miracle. It isn't a city like this, mine is a quite degraded village.  
**Arina:** The study is important ... can't you move away?  
**Luca:** Are you serious? We can't do this after what has happened... but I know that dad is considering moving to the North Italy...  
**Arina:** Uhm, in your last letter you told me about your parents... so have they divorced?  
**Luca:** Definitely, but I already know that would happen. Dad is furious, I think he hates her.  
**Arina:** No, I don't think so... if they were married, of course they loved each other ...  
**Luca:** Love is something crazy, I don't understand it. And yet ...

He stretches, looking at the white ceiling with a thoughtful expression.

 **Luca:** and yet I think it's wonderful ... when I find a wife I will treat her with all the respect ...  
**Arina:** But now ... What will you do?  
**Luca:** Mhhh...

He straightens up, going back to observes his sister with a serious look.

 **Luca:** After mom moved to Bologna, dad said he wants me to join the army.  
**Arina:** ... Eh? When? You're too young! What the hell goes into the brain of your father?!  
**Luca:** No, not now, after the school...  
**Arina:** ... It's going to be hard for you... and I will miss you very much.  
**Luca:** you too, sister. But there's nothing I can do, at least for now. I don't like having to fight but I will do it just for him ... He is so stupid, but my old man is a good person.  
**Arina:** ... even after what he did to your mother?  
**Luca:** Hey, it isn't like he has hit her! If he had hit her, he would have been dead to me!

On that morning, in late August, the sun is covered by clouds. The blonde accompanies her brother in a tour of the city, she is amazed at how much he is impressed by everything.

 **Arina:** Aren't you really ever been in such a big city?  
**Luca:** I never moved from the small town where I live, there are very few shops there.

He smiles, stopping in front of the window of a video game store.

 **Luca:** Wow, this looks fantastic!

The boy looks at the cover of a game, which portrays two soldiers pointing their guns towards the observer.

 **Arina:** Do you like such games?  
**Luca:** They help me to relax. I love first point shooters but also RPGs. But I can't stand racing or football games.  
**Arina:** Do you have any game console?  
**Luca:** Only one and two games, they never wanted to buy me a lot of them, also because dad can't afford them, they are so expansive.  
**Arina:** One day I'll give you one, for our birthday.  
**Luca:** It has already passed, huh.  
**Arina:** Yeah, we are now in August. Soon Nozomi will be eight years ... she has grown so much ...  
**Luca:** Here.  
**Arina:** Uh?

The blonde turns to the brother who giggles in a fun way.

 **Luca:** You always talk about her.

The girl is about to speak but she can't say anything, looking at the ground.

 **Arina:** mh ... well ... since I have to care about her ... I spend much time with her ...  
**Luca:** Don't be sorry, sis. You do your job well.  
**Arina:** Don't talk about job, I'm not a tutor yet... I'm just a friend for now.  
**Luca:** A friend of seven years older than her, who helps the child to study! Also you teach her new things ... you are a future tutor, I tell you.  
**Arina:** If Decimo wants I'll keep taking care of his daughter.  
**Luca:** why shouldn't he want?  
**Arina:** Well, it was a guess.

The day passes quickly, as always happens when they're having fun and Luca seems to have a lot of fun.  
Arina brings him to shopping, buying him a last generation mobile phone so he can keep in touch with her, no matter what happens.  
The blond guy is really excited by that purchase, keeps looking at it and discovering new functions of the phone since he left the electronics store.  
By now the sun has decided to abandon them and the two returned to Arina's apartment to pick up the bags of the young boy.

 **Arina:** ... Luca ... you can stay here today?  
**Luca:** No, sister. I have to go, dad is waiting for me tonight and I have no intention of make him angry.  
**Arina:** But ... we aren't going to see each other for a very long time...  
**Luca:** We'll resist, as we did for all these years.

Under a reddish sky the two reach the railway station, getting closer to the tracks and watching the arrival of his train.

 **Luca:** It'll be here at any minute.  
**Arina:** It had to be already here ...  
**Luca:** Sis, we are in Italy. Everything goes at random, here.  
**Arina:** Yeah, everything.

The two look at each other for a while and the girl can't help but observe her brother's eyes with insistence, as he is doing.

 **Luca:** You know, sister ... I always felt I was missing something in life. In fact I felt an empty space, something that wasn't there. I know it was you.  
**Arina:** Same for me, brother. I always had a place that had to be filled, and it was reserved for you.  
**Luca:** It's weird, huh?  
**Arina:** not at all. We're twins ... it is something more than being normal siblings. We are ... a set, two halves ... look ... we are the same.  
**Luca:** Yes, we are one reality.  
**Arina:** ... from where have you taken this quote, Luca?

The boy giggles.

 **Luca:** An animated movie for children ... it was really nice!

Despite the delay the train finally arrives a few moments later, stopping in front of the passengers.

 **Arina:** ... you have to go.  
**Luca:** ... I have to go.

The two continue to look at each other when a tear falls on Arina's face and Luca hugs her, squeezing her.

 **Luca:** sis ... don't cry or I'll cry too ...  
**Arina:** I can't do it... I don't want you to go away, Luca ... I have so much to tell you ... so much to show you ...  
**Luca:** I know, one day you will do it... and also you have to introduce your boyfriend, Alessio, to me.  
**Arina:** ... Alessandro.  
**Luca:** Well, him. And if he hurts you, you know that I will punch him and I'll put his head in-  
**Arina:** -the toilet.  
**Luca:** Yes, exactly.

The two move apart, observing each other for the last time while the blond boy, with his thumb, dry the tears of her sister.

 **Luca:** I love you, my sister.  
**Arina:** I love you immensely, my brother.  
**Luca:** See you soon, then.

The blonde boy bends over to take his luggage and gets in the train, while the girl follows him with an apprehensive look from the outside, watching through the windows as he takes place in the carriage next to the entrance.  
He rests his luggage and opens the window, leaning back and looking at Arina.

 **Arina:** ... Luca ...  
**Luca:** ... Arina.  
**Arina:** Remeber that you have to study. Do what they tell you, don't talk in a vulgar way...

He chuckles, probably thinking that his sister is anxious as his mother.

 **Luca:** Sister, I can look after myself.

The train whistles, and slowly moves.

 **Arina:** I don't want ... I don't want you to go away!

She starts to run, following the train that moves and trying to don't lose sight of her brother, still leaning against the window.

 **Luca:** Wait for me, sister! I'll be back, I swear!  
**Arina:** Luca! Luca!  
**Luca:** I love you, Arina!  
**Arina:** Luca! I love you too! I love you!

She continues to follow him, her face is wet with a thousand tears of sadness, until she reaches the end of the platform, when Luca is now far away, and the train has left the station to dart quickly on the tracks, which lead him away from her.  
So she stops to look at the horizon, with a gap opened again inside her and she feels inexplicably alone.

 

***

 

She isn't alone.  
A little further on, hidden behind another entrance, there are three crouched children, they followed her again. The three seem disoriented, unable to believe that a strong woman like her can have such a dark face, wet with tears.

Fabio, the most sensitive of the three, bursts into tears. He has always had a passion for Arina and can't see her in that state.  
Claudio, however, looks at her in silence, together with Nozomi.

 **Claudio:** Her brother is gone, now ...  
**Fabio:** But ... are we sure he was her brother? He could also be another relative ... her cousin, perhaps.  
**Claudio:** He looks really too much like her to be only her cousin.  
**Nozomi:** They were like the same person, he is definitely her twin brother.

The affirmation of the child sounds rather cold and they feel quite uncomfortable.  
Claudio carefully scrutinizes her, trying to understand the reason for that behaviour.

 **Fabio:** She never talked about it...  
**Nozomi:** I'm not surprised, she never talks about herself ...  
**Claudio:** I'm so sorry that she has to endure all this...  
**Nozomi:** Me too, all because of those of Lhumor.  
**Claudio:** The Lhumor Corporation? You still think about them?

The brunette turns to the redhead and she has a serious look.

 **Nozomi:** do you think I can forget?  
**Claudio:** Well ... no.  
**Nozomi:** I never stopped thinking about them and ... indeed, I also have some thoughts.  
**Claudio:** uh?  
**Nozomi:** No. ... I can't leave alone those people who have hurt Arina so much.

Fabio sniffles, nodding, while watching the woman whit her look on the sunset, lost in her thoughts.  
The red-haired boy manages to resist to the temptation to ask him if he prefers Arina or Nozomi, since the two had made a bet a few weeks before.

 **Claudio:** Then ... What do we can do? Do you still want to take revenge?  
**Nozomi:** ... I just doesn't want to see Arina crying like that...

She turns and walks down the stairs, out of the station and plunging into the evening chaos of the city.

 **Fabio:** None of us want this!  
**Claudio:** So we have to make a plan, right?  
**Fabio:** Like in the movies?  
**Nozomi:** Arina ... doesn't trust me, so this is why she didn't tell me anything.  
**Fabio:** Uh?  
**Claudio:** Are you sure?

The brunette shrugs.

 **Nozomi:** If I want her to trust me ... I have to find those guys and avenge her parents.  
**Claudio:** ... Nono ... they are going to be very numerous, what can we do if we are just three children?  
**Nozomi:** we don't need to face all of them. Behind many people there is always one person, Primo-sama taught me this in my dreams.  
**Claudio:** uh ...  
**Nozomi:** I want to find him... that guy who commands the Lhumor ... and then I'll give him to papa so him and Arina will be happy and proud of me.

The sun is now gone and the sky is black, lit only by the moon and by the electric lights of the city.


	9. Target 9 - Wind and Storm

**Target 9 - Wind and Storm**

****

 

The young Vongola is determined to find out where is the leader of the Lhumor Corp.

That evening, when she saw her best friend Arina with her twin brother, she realized how bad was that man who has killed their parents, hidden behind the shadows of an organization. He forced them to separate and live two difficult lives.  
Nozomi knows what it means having a father and a mother who loves her, but knowing that someone doesn't have those dear people is a thought that saddens her very much.  
She blushes with shame remembering that almost a month before the two girls had a fight because of her stupid jealousy.

_"... She's alone... if papa loves her too, Arina won't be sad ..."_

At that moment she doesn't care that Arina can take her father away from her, after all Arina is alone while Nozomi still has her parents' love. Her situation is really too sad and Nozomi realizes that the best thing to do is to love her and not make her feel alone.

When she crosses the looks of Claudio and Fabio, in that September morning, she has already taken a decision. The two have just arrived to visit her, according to her plan, and they're waiting to listen to what the little girl has to say.  
They are located in the inner courtyard of the mansion and they're looking at the gray sky, it's not a very summer sky but, despite everything, it's hot like the other days.

 **Claudio:** Uhm ... is your father at home?  
**Nozomi:** According to what I heard, he should be out a few minutes ago.  
**Fabio:** Oh ... and what are we doing here?  
**Nozomi:** We're waiting for a few more minutes before going to do our researches.  
**Claudio:** ... Do you want to slip in your father's office? And what if we get caught?

The redhead observes her with concern, while the brunette bites her lip.

 **Fabio:** The servants could see us!  
**Nozomi:** Don't worry, they can't do anything.

They wait another couple of minutes before the little girl gets up from the edge of the fountain, where she was sitting together with the other two.  
Finally, she turns to her friends with a serious look.

 **Claudio:** ... Nono ... don't be like this.

The little girl raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

 **Nozomi:** Like what?  
**Claudio:** Just as you are now. You look ... shut off.

She puts a hand to her chest and then to the face, thoughtfully. She doesn't understand what he is trying to say.

 **Fabio:** ... It is true, Claudio is right ... you're weird, you're not our usual Nono-chan ...  
**Nozomi:** It's not true... I'm still me ...  
**Claudio:** It's not like you're a different person, you're acting in a different way ... not like you always do ...

The small girl shakes her head, surprised by those words.

 **Nozomi:** But .. What does it matter now? We need to find this man and bring justice!  
**Claudio:** Yes, I understand, but ... you are too nervous, too swept up by this, too weird ...

Fabio looks at his feet, embarrassed, he doesn't know what to say, Nozomi also remains silent for a few seconds.

 **Claudio:** Nono-chan, you've got something beautiful but you're not showing it any more and I am very sad ...  
**Nozomi:** Something ... beautiful?

The girl seems disoriented and the redhead nods, standing up and walking over to her.

 **Claudio:** You have a beautiful smile, Nono. I want to see it, always. You're beautiful when you smile, it seems that everything around you starts shining.  
**Fabio:** like a sky!

The two turn toward the boy who just spoke, perplexed.

 **Claudio:** ... yes, like a sky, exactly.

The Vongola blushes, looking sideways trying not to meet her friends' eyes.

 **Nozomi:** B-but we'd better go now.

The two nod and follow her friend in the giant building in which they still get lost. They go through some corridors, without say anything and following the young girl who finally stops in front of a wooden door that the children know very well.  
She opens it slowly, warily.

 **Fabio:** Hey ... are you sure we won't get caught? Your father is out, right?

The brunette turns, looking at Fabio and then the window in front of the door.

 **Nozomi:** Uh ... no ... he went out ten minutes ago, I know, so ... it is impossible that he could find us, don't worry.  
**Claudio:** You seem nervous ... is something bothering you?  
**Nozomi:** No, just a thought ... but I said he went out, right? So there are no problems!  
**Claudio:** But you're not sure ...  
**Nozomi:** It's just ... a nuisance, here. I know he isn't here, I saw him, so it's stupid to think about it. Let's go.

Claudio and Fabio look at each other, shrug and enter the room.

The office is quite big, full of shelves and with three huge windows who show the entrance of the mansion. The walls are decorated with huge paintings and they know that one of them must be the one behind which they were months before, when they were eavesdropping Nozomi's father. Some shelves full of books decorate the side walls, and two reddish sofas are on both sides of the door. At the center there is a huge dark wood desk full of documents and spreadsheets on the sides and some in front of the comfortable chair, where the boss usually sits.  
In a corner of the desk there is a picture that represents Nozomi's father when he was young, about sixteen years old, with his guardians and Kyoko. Next to that photo there are two others photos, Decimo in a suit and Kyoko in wedding dress and in the last there's the couple with a small Nozomi of about two years old in their arms.

 **Nozomi:** Let's hurry ... I don't feel very well ...

The redhead comes close to his friend and looks at her, she looks pale as her concern grows more and more.

 **Claudio:** Nono ... you should listen to your instincts ... maybe we have to leave.  
**Nozomi:** no, I have to find those documents.

She continues in her work, determined to look between the sheets by opening drawers at random and noticing that some are locked, while Fabio and Claudio seek among the papers on the desk. Many seconds pass and the little girl seems to calm down and regain peace of mind, looking with more concentration and reading between the sheets resting on the shelves.

 **Claudio:** Fabio look at these, while I'll see if there is something in these notepads.

The three look on the papers, quite confused by the complicated terms.

 **Claudio:** Uunauthorized transactions ... buying and selling of public places ... dirty money ...  
**Fabio:** Uh? Why money is dirty?  
**Claudio:** Dunno, maybe they make them dirty!  
**Fabio:** Oh ...

Claudio suddenly finds a file under a pile of documents and he calls his friend, pointing it.

 **Claudio:** There are pictures ... and some notes too...

The small child looks at the quite blurry pictures, portraying people in the distance walk or talk with other men in known places in the city.  
Among the outstanding notes of the addresses some are strikethrough with a blue pen, others are red-rimmed.  
The list is long and the child distributes the sheets, trying to find some clue.  
After reviewing approximately three sheets, Nozomi hears her chubby friend yawning.

 **Nozomi:** Fabio ... are you still at the first one? You're slow!  
**Fabio:** Hey, I'm not good at reading like you!  
**Claudio:** But you're even older than us!  
**Fabio:** It doesn't matter.

They resume the reading, while the brunette carefully reads the addresses and the notes next to each one.

 **Claudio:** How will we know which is the right one?

In fact, no one has any idea, they can only read them all and hope that one of them is more suspicious of others. Or, at least she hopes it can work.

 **Fabio:** Hey, what means " . Consult P.24"?  
**Claudio:** Huh? Where did you read it?  
**Fabio:** Over here!

The child shows the sheet to the two friends, indicating the point at which he read that strange note.

 **Claudio:** The address ... I don't know where he is.  
**Nozomi:** me too...

The Vongola picks up the paper and leans it against the desk, looking at the note.

 **Nozomi:** Ob ... maybe is it English? "Object Id" .. usually they say it to indicate an object with an unique number ...  
**Fabio:** Hey hey calm down! I don't understand English ...  
**Nozomi:** English is an important language, you should study it too!  
**Claudio:** But if he barely can speak Italian!

The two burst out laughing.

 **Fabio:** Hey ... I'm not as smart as you two, huh ...  
**Claudio:** But it is not a matter of intelligence!  
**Nozomi:** Refer to P.24.

The little girl reads, interrupting the two.

 **Nozomi:** What is a P.24?  
**Claudio:** A ... document? A person?  
**Fabio:** It doesn't seem like the name of a person.  
**Nozomi:** A code name? An address?  
**Claudio:** I don't think it's an address.

The redhead looks at the desk for a moment.

 **Claudio:** ... a picture?

The brunette turns to the file and reopen it, pulling out the pictures. She turns a photo, there's a number written in blue ink.

 **Nozomi:** ... they are numbered ...  
**Claudio:** ... see if there is the number 24!

The small girl counts up to 23 pictures, then she stops. The twenty-fourth photo shows three people next to a black car, in front of a building.  
An apartment building with some expensive plants at the entrance.

 **Nozomi:** I KNEW IT!

The two friends raise their eyes with curiosity and the child shows them the photo.

 **Nozomi:** This is close to the supermarket where I went with my mother the other time!  
**Fabio:** ... Do you know how to get there?  
**Nozomi:** Yes, I know exactly where it is! I saw some strange men there!  
**Claudio:** wow, so have you suspected that they were of Lhumor?  
**Nozomi:** Not exactly ... but something bothered me ... I don't know how I can explain ... they were there and something was telling me that I should have looked at them ...  
**Claudio:** Anyway, let's get going!

The other two nod in unison.  
The children puts the sheets in order to avoid that Decimo can find out they were into his room, they are placing sheets and pictures in the file when a male voice interrupts them.

\- ... What are you doing here? -

The two children heave and turn quickly towards the entrance: a tall man with raven hair and hazel eyes is watching them firmly at the door.  
The small girl drops rapidly from the chair and turns around the desk, until she's in front of the man who's watching her.

 **Nozomi:** ... H-hello, uncle Takeshi...  
**Yamamoto:** Nozo-chan, what are you doing here?  
**Nozomi:** ... nothing, we were just checking some stuff ... but I've put everything back in place.  
**Yamamoto:** You know you can't enter here, Tsuna warned you.  
**Nozomi:** Really, I haven't touched anything. Believe me ...

The brunette is embarrassed, she's again caught in the act but hopes she can reassure the guardian of the rain.

 **Yamamoto:** Even if you haven't touched anything, you shouldn't have come here. You know your father will be angry.  
**Nozomi:** Please, uncle Takeshi, don't say anything to papa!

The man shakes his head with severe look, without breaking eye contact with the baby.

 **Nozomi:** I know that you are papa's trusted guardian, I have no right to ask you anything ... but please! Do it for me! I promise I haven't done anything wrong!

The man approaches the girl who began to fidget, and kneels in front of her.

 **Yamamoto:** No, Nozo-chan. Although I am a guardian of Tsuna, it's my duty to protect the family and all its members.  
**Nozomi:** ... but I have nothing to do with it... you don't have duties towards me ...  
**Yamamoto:** This is irrelevant because, again, you ARE part of the family. You are Tsuna's daughter, Nozo-chan, but even if you were a staff member I would have acted in the same way. Each family member is valuable, just because we are a family. So I don't see why I can't protect you exactly how I protect your father.  
**Nozomi:** But .. there is no danger, there is no need to protect me ... I really haven't done anything ...  
**Yamamoto:** I gotta make sure you don't do rashness. You shouldn't have come here, you know very well that Tsuna will be angry and I won't keep it secret from him.  
**Nozomi:** Please! Papa will be angry, I don't want ...

\- Then you shouldn't have come. -

The little girl looks up, beyond the guardian of the rain, and her eyes meet the cold and stern look of her father.  
Her heart leaps as if the irreparable is happened. Maybe she really had to listen to her instincts and stay away from the room.

 **Tsuna:** ... Luckily I've forgotten some documents, I never expected to catch you again trying to do something stupid.

Nozomi swallows, she can't say anything.

 **Tsuna:** I told you not to meddle in adults' affairs, I was sure you had understood me.  
**Nozomi:** ... Papa ... listen to me ... I ... I don't want to see Arina suffer...  
**Tsuna:** You will make her suffer more if you do these things.  
**Nozomi:** No! I just wants to do something useful for Arina and papa! Why can't I help you?  
**Tsuna:** Because you are a child. There is no need to worry about these things, I already told you it, Nozomi.  
**Nozomi:** But .. Papa doesn't understand! I really want to do something!  
**Tsuna:** Nozomi, it's enough. Don't aggravate your situation. I told you, you don't need to do anything, I had forbidden to you to enter this room and you disobeyed me, again.  
**Nozomi:** But .. but I-

She bites her lower lip, frightened, he's very angry because of what she did.  
The man observes the two little friends of his daughter, quite scared of him, then he turns to one of his guardians who has just joined the two.

 **Tsuna:** Lambo, take Claudio and Fabio at home.  
**Lambo:** Phew, that's fine.  
**Tsuna:** Yamamoto, please, take Nozomi to her room.

He pronounces the sentence slowly and marking every word. Takeshi puts one hand on the shoulder of the frightened child, who is still staring at her father.

 **Tsuna:** You can't leave your room and that area of the building for the next week. I hope this time you've understood me.

The rain drags the scared child away.

 

***

 

After Luca's departure, a few days before, the blonde girl definitely wants to forget the sadness caused by the separation from her twin.  
She has decided to make a surprise to her boyfriend, Alessandro, by going to see him in his house.  
She remembers that his house is located near the Demerito's supermarket, which takes its name from Alessandro's surname. That same building was indicated by a salesperson and she remembers it very well, so she goes to the palace with a great desire to see the boy she likes.  
She giggles when she stops in front of the window of a pastry shop, she decides to buy some sweets to eat with him. She knows that he likes sweet things, he has said it during one of their dates.  
She leaves the shop a few moments later with a bag in her hand and a lot of euphoria. She tries in every way to be happy and she wishes that that day is special for both.  
She feels her heart flutters when she walks through the front door and she goes up the stairs that lead to the floor where's his apartment.  
When she comes close to the door she knocks.  
She waits a moment, then knocks again.  
And again.

After a few minutes she squats down on the stairs, sighing.  
Is it possible that no one is in the house?  
The girl pulls out her cell phone and tries to reach him, she doesn't care about surprise him any more as long as she can see him.  
Unfortunately she can't get in touch with him and every minute she tries to call him she becomes more and more nervous.  
Arina is now afflicted and unmotivated and doesn't know what to do.  
She waits a few more minutes, trying again to call Alessandro on his cell phone, until she decides to get up and walk slowly to home, looking at the ground with sadness and still holding the bag with sweets who bought earlier.

 **Arina:** ... where are you?

She looks up and observes the horizon. The sun is up, it's almost lunch time.

 **Arina:** ... why don't you call me? Why is your cell phone turned off?

Some doubts and worries flash through her mind, but she tries not to think about it, shaking her head. Probably he only went out with his mother and they can be at relatives' home. She can't be scared for something like that.

The phone rings and she trembles with fear, taking it quickly and noticing, with her extreme displeasure, that the name flashing on it is the one of her friend Sonia.

 **Arina:** ... Hello.  
**Sonia:** Arina! Where are you? Are you ok?!

The agitated tone of her friend leaves the blonde confused.

 **Arina:** ... Sonia ... sure I'm fine, but what about you?  
**Sonia:** What are you saying? Don't you know what happened?!  
**Arina:** ... no ... what happened?  
**Sonia:** The news have just talked about an accident on the highway! Some cars were involved in a pileup and there are people seriously injured!  
**Arina:** ... Oh ... out there you say? But I'm fine ... that is, I don't have any driver's license nor I have a car, so don't worry ...  
**Sonia:** No, silly! I'm not talking about you!

A doubt creeps into her and her heart starts beating rapidly.

 **Sonia:** They have said the names of some important people that were involved in it! There were the Demeritos of the supermarket. The owner, his sister Veronica and also Alessandro!

Arina drops the bag of sweets on the floor in shock.

" _NO!_ "


	10. Target 10 - Restless Spirits

**Target 10 - Restless Spirits**

****

 

The man takes a briefcase and opens it, arranging some files and two pens.

 **Gokudera:** Juudaime, the car has arrived.

The dark-haired man is thoughtful, he keeps looking at the documents relating to the Lhumor case. The most important picture is exactly where he left it, but the man is sure that the child has seen it.  
Glances at the photo of him with his wife and his daughter, at that time she was very small and young.

 **Gokudera:** Juudaime.  
**Tsuna:** Sorry, Gokudera-kun.

The man crosses the door of the room and turns to the opposite side of the corridor, his eyes are worried and apprehensive.

 **Tsuna:** Has she tried to escape again?  
**Gokudera:** As usual. It's a little stubborn girl.

The man sighs.

 **Tsuna:** I wonder why she is so tormented. I would like to see her playing like the other children.  
**Gokudera:** It's the blood. When it comes to helping someone, you never pull back.

Tsuna lowers his head and holds his briefcase, walking briskly toward the exit.

 **Gokudera:** Don't you want to say goodbye to her?  
**Tsuna:** I would like to do it... but for now it's better this way. She must understand.

He says, biting his lip.  
In fact he actually wants to go to her, he almost can't be a strict father with his little daughter, he is too protective and apprehensive perhaps much more than Kyoko.  
He wonders if it's such behaviour that gives bad influence on Nozomi, she could feel oppressed by him, thinking of some ways to escape and show that she isn't weak. Surely she can't stand the idea of being constantly protected.  
Tsuna knows that the child wants to be a warrior prince rather than a fragile princess, but he doesn't want her to fight, he wants to be the one who protects her. At least until she is still a child.  
The time will come, "that time". But he hopes that there's still a long time before that moment.  
The boss perfectly knows that one day his little bird will fly away, she will become an adult and she would no longer need the loving care of her parents. It's true that he's scared of that idea.  
He already started thinking to move her away from that place, maybe if she lives far away from mafia and trouble she definitely grows serene and happy.

He gets into the car, followed by his best friend.

 **Tsuna:** I wonder if I was the one who cursed her.  
**Gokudera:** I think it depends on your point of view. She sees it more as a gift.

Tsuna sighed, crossing his legs.

 **Tsuna:** This is what scares me. I don't want to lose her.

 

***

 

For the fourth time the child tries to go beyond the main entrance. She doesn't know what exactly she's trying to do, but she is afraid that someone can find her again. This time, however, there aren't men in the hallway or cleaning ladies who glance at her.  
In her third attempt to escape even one of the butlers captured her, and has dragged the girl in her room.  
Although she is the daughter of the boss her words are useless, everyone are already aware of her punishment and the child is constantly dragged into her room without being able to argue.  
Her mother, who is also quite angry for what she has done, imposed her to clean the room and do her homework, but she already has done all of them. Also studying is the least of her problems.

She slowly goes down the stairs to the east looking around to avoid unpleasant situations, then she turns the corner and looks at the empty hallway that leads to the courtyard.  
Everything is all pretty quiet, she can hear the birds singing and the chatter of men in the distance.

_"Now or never."_

The child throws herself quickly down to the hallway, she's really close to the exit and she can already breathe the air of freedom.  
Her sixth sense, however, starts to bother her.

 _"Do not go, there might be something!"_ it's telling her.  
Why does it keep talking nonsense? The corridor is free and silent and the entrance is a few steps away, what can happen?  
_"Stop, look out! This silence is unnatural, it's strange that there is no one around."_ it echoes in her head and the child gets nervous.

_"Shut up, you stupid! This is my chance!"_

She exceeds the entrance to the courtyard and realizes pleasantly that there is nobody around.  
She opens her arms, breathing the clean air, the scent of flowers and listening to the sound of the water of the fountain, where she and her friends was sitting that day.  
Suddenly she remembers what Claudio told her: " _You have a beautiful smile, Nono. I want to see it, always._ "  
Her heart leaps and suddenly blushes. Since when has she began to feel these strange feelings inside her?

More or less since she knows him.

The child who has saved her from her solitude, that approached her and insisted on becoming her friend.

" **Claudio:** Hey, why are you always alone? Don't you want to play with the others? "  
" **Nozomi:** ..."  
" **Claudio:** Come play with me!"  
" **Nozomi:** ..."  
" **Claudio:** Hey, come on, speak! The cat got your tongue, perhaps? "  
" **Nozomi:** ..."  
" **Claudio:** ... ok, I'll keep asking you until you want to play with me."  
" **Nozomi:** ... why do you wanna play with me?"  
" **Claudio:** Because you're always alone ... I don't like it, it's bad to stay alone. "  
" **Nozomi:** ... it's said "be alone".  
" **Claudio:** Okay, who cares! So, let's play!"  
" **Nozomi:** I can't play, I have things to do."  
" **Claudio:** ... What? You're not doing anything ... "  
" **Nozomi:** not here ... I mean ... I don't have time for playing, I have to grow up and become an adult. "  
" **Claudio:** Why? There is time to grow up, now we can play! "  
" **Nozomi:** Why do you think playing is important? Don't you think about your future?"  
" **Claudio:** Future is so far away, why don't you have fun? Here, playing means having fun! Don't you like funny things? "  
" **Nozomi:** ... funny things?"  
" **Claudio:** You never done something fun?! Then come play with me! "

The Vongola was really shocked by the words of the child, despite her cold and detached answers he continued to invite her, unlike all the other children.  
What's a 'funny thing'? She had never thought to have fun and it was very strange for a child.  
Maybe she had fun when she was younger, perhaps when her father took her in his arms and made her fly, when her mother rubbed her nose against hers, when Arina turned the music on and danced together with the child, laughing.  
Those simple acts were fun, beautiful and full of warmth.  
So the child, who was only six years old, decided to follow Claudio and play with him. It was really funny, as he said.  
From that moment she changed, she was more open and less cold, more lively. She was laughing because he was the one who made her laugh.  
What he had done to her?  
At that moment she is blushing because he made her blush, his words have penetrated into her heart, again, digging a small hole.

She winces, thrown violently away from her thoughts when a hand is placed on her shoulder.  
She wasted time, maybe a couple of minutes, and this was fatal for her.  
No, it isn't because of the two minutes, he was already behind her ever since she had come there.

Something like a long iron rod slips slowly down her neck and the little girl's eyes widen in terror.  
The scent of metal, that feeling of terror, the disturbing presence.

It is him, the man she fears the most.

The splint of iron causes her to retreat again and she touches the wall with her back. The terrified little girl is watching the weapon, her face is slightly raised to avoid that it presses against her neck.  
She looks up and meets the cold eyes that are looking insistently the child.  
Those damned blue eyes, those black hair, that strange weapon that she ignores how it's called.  
A cocktail of pure terror.

**Hibari:** So, apparently I just caught a rabbit.

She trembles, without looking away.

Hibari Kyoya is the guardian of the cloud of her father, the most powerful of the guardians as well as the most fearsome. No one ever knows what he thinks, he is a rebel and doesn't follow anyone's orders. With difficulty he comes when called by the Tenth, he often contrasts his orders, he even seems bored.  
It is disturbing to know that, among the most powerful people in the Vongola, there is a man who looks like an indomitable horse, ready to kick anyone who approaches him.

He crouches, looking into her eyes and smiling mockingly. He knows that the child is afraid of him.

 **Hibari:** I know your daddy has forbidden you to go out, right? Don't you know that you don't have to disobey?

She swallows, doesn't dare to say anything.

 **Hibari:** Rules and punishments must be respected.

The man grabs the child by her stomach, bringing her under his arm like a sack of potatoes and the child, who's still terrified, doesn't resist, she's already hoping to die without having to suffer.  
She doesn't even realize what is happening that she finds herself in her room, at the starting point. He goes away yawning, violently closing the door.

She remains a few moments to look at the handle, bewildered.

 _"Guardians of the cloud ... why the hell should they exist?"_ she thinks sobbing _"They're disturbing, rebellious, they never do what you tell them."_

She remembers Alaude-san and his relationship with Primo-sama, at least he was more reasonable and less frightening than Hibari-san.  
Yet he acted as a guardian of the cloud.

 **Nozomi:** I don't need them. When I'll be a boss I'll take no guardian of the cloud!

She clenches her fists violently, angry and in tears, observing around and looking for another idea to escape from that hell, when she recalls the words of Hibari.

_"Rules, tsk. I don't need your stupid rules, I have a mission!"_

It is more or less noon, and the girl goes to the window, sobbing. She notices the back yard and the walls that surround the mansion as if it is a castle full of riches.  
She opens the window and stretches, looking down and then to the sides of the glass.  
There is still a possibility.  
She has read so many books that now the Vongola library has no more secrets for her. She remembers well many of them, something incredible for any other child of her age, which prefers to use that time in fun games and not in boring lectures.  
Yet those books can help her: she looks at the bed and then praises her intelligence, she also has memorized The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  
Fortunately the closet is full of sheets, she assembles and binds them, following the idea that Tom and Hack have had in the book.  
Although she is on the third floor she succeeded to go down quickly, to avoid that her weight unties the sheets that she's using as a rope. She is able to touch the ground, and without wasting time, she goes beyond the walls of the courtyard, directly in the adjacent forest.  
The little girl has a nasty feeling of being seen by someone but, fortunately, they couldn't catch her in time, she's already vanished among the trees.

 

***

 

Arina is still in front of the gate of a closed shop, leaning with her back while her eyes are towards the sky, slightly tired and swollen.  
The envelope with the desserts is dropped to the ground and it is located next to her feet, it is also quite dented and the desserts are definitely gone bad due to the hot.  
In her right hand she continues to tighten her cell phone as if it is the most precious thing in the world, even if at that time it seems pretty useless and she has resisted the urge to throw it violently to the ground, in anger.

She takes it to the ear again, she has lost count of how many times she has tried to call him, but every time an unnerving voice invites the girl to try again later because the number is unreachable.

She lowers her arm and slips to the floor, keeping her knees in front of her and observing the street in the silence of the early afternoon, the silence broken only by a few cars passing by.  
Although she is sitting on a sidewalk, under a balcony and in front of a shop, she doesn't want to move.  
She just wants to stay there, curled up with her thoughts.

_"Where are you? Why don't you answer me? Are you really ... gone?"_ some furious thoughts are swirling inside her.  
A tear falls on her face, terrified at the thought of losing the boy she loves.  
_"No. You can't ... You can't leave me ... "._

She knows that the best thing to do would be to go to the hospital and check if he's there, and yet she doesn't want to do it.  
She prefers to stay there like a fool, trying to contact him by mobile phone despite she knows that if he is injured he can't answer.  
Looking for him seems so easy to do, going to the reception and asking for a certain Alessandro Demerito, and then know about his health.  
The receptionist may tell her "He's fine, just a little injured" or may tell her "It's in the operating room."  
But what if she tells her that he is in a coma? And what if he was already dead?  
No, she can't go there. Her mental sanity doesn't want to let her go.

She is confused, disoriented, demoralized and restless.  
She is fifteen years old now, although she still feels like an immature child. She must be strong and be a good example for the little girl.  
How can she do it if she can't even take care of herself?  
She needs to grow, to mature. She still has a long road ahead and she doesn't want to disappoint Decimo and the trust he put in her. She must do it for her brother and for her future.

Alessandro also will be next to her in her future?

She trembles.  
Her thoughts are anything but positive, that bad feeling keeps wandering around in her mind and the head starts to hurt because of the tears.  
The visibility starts to drop, some enigmatic clouds are now in the sky and the heat has lowered dramatically.  
She is tired, desperate, unsure of what to do. Closes her eyes, resting her head on her knees and sobbing again, her head full with her emotions that are taking over her.  
Then she slowly slips into a dark abyss.

 

***

 

It starts to rain.  
Perhaps three hours are passed since the child was walking in the deep forest.  
She looks around, confused, trying to recover the position of the sun, but it is impossible as it is hidden by clouds.  
She is soaked and disoriented, unable to retrieve the way to the city and she got lost in that forest, which spreads for miles and miles on the hills surrounding the mansion.

The little girl stops, looking in front of her.  
Trees, leaves, soil, some small animal that escapes, the rain falling down from the sky but, fortunately, there seems no lightning nor is there enough wind to make it impossible to go on.  
She can walk, despite the heaviness of wet clothes and some sniffles.  
And what if she has a fever?  
She walks again and again in a random direction, she doesn't know if she is advancing or if she's coming back.

 **Nozomi:** It can't be... this can't be really possible ...

She raised her eyes again, but the sky is still gray and the rain doesn't seem to cease.

 **Nozomi:** It was always hot until today ... this morning the sun was shining as if we were in mid-August and now it's raining so much that the sun is gone ...

She looks toward the sky, she's forced to close her eyes because the raindrops are falling on her face. Without the sun to be her guide she may not know which direction she has to take. She hasn't even thought to take a compass with her.  
If only those damned clouds go away, it's always their fault. The child begins almost to hate them.  
The clouds and their guardians.

She sighs, thinking now she is lost in nothing, and no one knows where she is. After all, her father and others think that she is still in her room, far away from the rain.

She leans against the trunk of a tree.  
There are no protections from the rain, only trees and ground.

 **Nozomi:** no ... there is no limit to my misfortune ...

She puts her hands before her face and begins to cry.


	11. Target 11 - Restless Spirits II

**Target 11 - Restless Spirits II**

****

 

The rain continues to fall and the child, completely wet, crouched in front of a trunk, clutching her arms to warm up.  
She rubs her eyes, her eyelids are heavy and she's trying to stay awake, then puts her hand on her forehead and realizes she's hot.

 **Nozomi:** ... I have a fever …

She stands with difficulty, doesn't want to give up, advancing towards an indefinite point in the dense forest that surrounds her, where there is no road and doesn't even know where she has to go.

 **Nozomi:** I have to ... get ... in the city …

She moves forward, staggering for who knows how long. It seems that not even one minute has passed and yet the little girl is walking for a long time and her legs hurt.  
She lifts her head and looks at the trees, watching them one by one in search of a rough bark she can climb.  
She slowly tries to climb one of them but fails, slipping down and keeps holding onto the trunk, with the blank stare.  
Under normal conditions it would have been easy, it is certainly not the first time that she climbs up a tree. She started as a child, supported by her self defence teacher who appreciated the agility of the little girl and induced her to practice more to increase her strength.

" **Tsuna:** She can get hurt!  
**Teacher:** Don't worry, Tenth! It's perfectly safe and the little one already knows how to do it.  
**Tsuna:** Yes, but ... she's only six! She's a child! Why would she do such a thing?  
**Teacher:** ... we all climbed walls or trees when we were children.  
**Tsuna:** ... Uhm.  
**Teacher:** Uh?  
**Tsuna:** ... I'm not sure. I wanted Nozomi to learn to defend herself in case of danger, not climbing trees ...  
**Teacher:** Climbing trees is a way to train her physical performance and agility. Learning techniques to defend herself is useless without physical preparation.  
**Tsuna:** But it's still too dangerous for her! The tree is high, she can get hur- Nozo-CHAN!  
**Teacher:** ... Tenth, calm down ...  
**Tsuna:** Nozo-chan! The foot, put it that way! The other .. yes! Turn around slowly ... NO! Don't move! Clinging on ... AH, STOP! Wait, Daddy comes to get you!  
**Teacher:** ... it's all right, she isn't falling!  
**Tsuna:** But she could fall!  
**Nozomi:** ... Papa ... it's embarrassing ... "

She opens her eyes, wincing.  
" _Oh, no!_ " how long she slept? When does she fall asleep?

The brunette looks at the tree next to her and remember what she was trying to do.  
She raises her head, the sky is still gray but the rain stopped.  
She gets up and see a glimmer of light among the clouds, she walks towards that direction, to the east of where she was going before.  
Having lost precious time she decides to go off straight away and starts to run between the roots and bushes, hoping to find quickly the road that leads to the city.

 **Nozomi:** It shouldn't be long now ... I can do it …

She didn't even have time to finish the sentence that she stumbles over a root and rolls down a valley, finding herself with the face dirty of topsoil.  
Cursing herself for her clumsiness, the child tries to pull herself up, but a sharp pain in her left ankle forced her to stop.  
She can't stand, she feels pretty tired, she's still wet and probably she has a fever.  
The little girl has reached the pinnacle of bad luck in a couple of hours and doesn't remember books that explain how to get out of those situations, as all the characters who have shared that experience were miraculously rescued by other people.  
Does she have to wait for someone to find her in the middle of nowhere? It's impossible, she got lost in the middle of the dense forest that surrounds the headquarters of the Vongola, and it extends for many kilometres.  
She drags herself underneath the clutter of land that separates her from the top of the forest and she leans with her back to that, sighing.

 **Nozomi:** ... Maybe papa will be looking for me, maybe papa will find me ... Papa is strong ...

She shakes her head, as if she just woke up from a dream.

 **Nozomi:** No! No! If papa comes to save me, people will think that I need to be saved!

She takes her face in her hands, trembling.

 **Nozomi:** They'll think I'm weak! That I'm a girl and I have to be protected by men!

Sobs.

 **Nozomi:** No, I'm not weak! I don't want to be protected, I'm the one who have to protect people because I have to become a boss! I have to become as strong as papa and Primo-sama! I can't give up!

She wipes her tears and tries again to get up, but the pain is very strong and blocks her movements, so she drags herself slowly to the road ahead.

 **Nozomi:** I have to ... do it ... alone ... because they have to love me ... they have to trust me... I must become like my dad ...

She sobs also for ankle pain and the fatigue, and the pain turns into a headache too.

 **Nozomi:** I must be strong, I have to protect everyone ... so ... Primo-sama will be proud of me ... Primo-sama will accept me as a boss ... Everyone will accept me …

\- Nozomi! - a male voice seems to come from the sky.

Instinctively she raises her head and gets lost in the gray sky, pierced by an orange and fiery light, who's moving quickly around.

 **Nozomi:** Pa-

She shuts up, biting her lips.  
The little girl doesn't want to be found, she wants to do it alone. If she were to be saved by her father she would show her weakness to everyone and they will think she's weak and useless.  
Yet the little one really wants to scream to call her beloved father, after all she is exhausted and just a child, she can't stay strong for too long, so she start crying loudly, releasing all the fear and stress accumulated.

The flaming orange light seems to hear her because it comes down quickly after a few moments, detecting the little girl sitting on the ground.

 **Tsuna:** Nozomi!

The man is fast approaching his daughter with a worried look and kneels down, bringing her in his arms. The brown-haired man is slightly wet and pants, pretty tired, probably he was looking for her for quite a while.  
He squeezes her to him and gently cradle her while the small girl, plagued among the various physical and mental pain, continues insistently to cry.

 **Tsuna:** Don't cry, my baby. Your dad is here.

Tsuna picks her up, gives her a gentle kiss on the head and goes on hyper dying will mode again, with the burning flame on his forehead. He gets up in the air, heading home while keeping the little daughter to his chest, with a warm hug and apprehensive look.

Kyoko put a steaming cup on the bedside table while Tsuna is sitting next to the child, gently caressing her hair. The little girl is lying under the covers of her bed, breathing slowly.

 **Kyoko:** Here's a cup of hot chocolate. Would you want some?

The woman's voice is warm and harmonious, she looks at her little girl with deep and sweet eyes.  
The man helps Nozomi to sit down, she still feels a little pain in her ankle but Dr. Shamal put bandages around it and took care of her, so the pain has decreased a lot.  
The woman hands her the cup and looks lovingly at Nozomi who's drinking it, when the boss gets up suddenly.

 **Tsuna:** I have to leave for a couple of minutes, I'll be back soon.

The man embraces the wife and kisses her gently, then stretches out on his daughter and hugs her, kissing her forehead.

 **Tsuna:** Piccola, take a rest.

 **Nozomi:** ... Papa is angry with Nozo-chan?

The man stops, remaining silent for a few moments observing his daughter's eyes.

 **Tsuna:** Dad and Mom were very worried for you, you know?

The small girl tightens the cup with sadness, trying to suppress the tears. After all, she hadn't thought that her parents could be worried, she wanted only to escape the punishment to capture the leader of the Lhumor Corp.  
She feels terribly sad.

 **Tsuna:** Anyway ... Nozo-chan is fine and that's the most important thing.

The man smiles at her tenderly and brunette also smiles slightly in response.

 **Tsuna:** Get some rest now, soon there will be a special event and Nozo-chan has to be very fine by then.  
**Nozomi:** ... Papa wants to make a party?  
**Tsuna:** Of course. It's the eighth birthday of my daughter so I arranged something very special.

The brunette seems to light up and begins to fidget, risking to drop the chocolate on the bed, but Kyoko catches the cup in time and puts it on the bedside.

 **Tsuna:** Oh, one more thing. I also invited Claudio and Fabio.  
**Nozomi:** EH?! REALLY?!

The enthusiasm of the child is tangible and the man leaves the room with more serenity, seeing that his daughter is radiant and already in force.

Kyoko is still with the little girl, caressing her hair softly.

 **Nozomi:** ... I didn't want to worry you ...  
**Kyoko:** You're fine, that's important for me. Mommy was so worried ... my little Nozo-chan, all alone in the forest, under the rain ...

Her eyes saddened and the blonde woman embraces the small girl, leaning her face in her child's brown hair.

 **Nozomi:** I'm sorry mama ...  
**Kyoko:** Don't do it that again, Nozo-chan. If you need help talk to mom or dad ... or with Arina-chan.

The brunette winces and her mother is detached from her, watching her in the eyes.

 **Kyoko:** You should call her. Isn't she your best friend? She has been there since your birth, she is very close to you.

The child doesn't respond. In fact she has completely forgotten about Arina in the last few days, although she ended up in punishment because she wanted to help her.

 **Kyoko:** Don't be jealous of her, you're really very important for that girl, Nozo-chan. She would give her life for you, because she loves you.

Nozomi looks down, twisting her lips. She already knows the affection that Arina feels for her, she is acting that way exactly because she wants to make her happy. Still, she realizes that she was stupid to want to act alone, after all she is not alone.  
The woman hands her her phone and the little girl takes it in her hands, ready to dial the number of her friend.

When Tsuna is back, a few minutes later, Kyoko was lying next to the sleeping child.  
The man lies down on the bed, clutching the little girl in the middle and hugging his wife on the other side.

 **Kyoko:** Tsu-kun ...  
**Tsuna:** Kyoko-chan ... I don't want she goes through what I went through in middle and high school.  
**Kyoko:** ... Tsu-kun ... if you are what you are right now it's because you have overcame many things.  
**Tsuna:** I know that ... but... do you really want our child to go through those dangers?

The woman doesn't answer, looking at the face of her asleep daughter.

 **Kyoko:** I want that Nozo-chan is happy, like you and me. We are a family, a happy family. And I want that also Nozo-chan could have this happiness.

The man nods.

 **Kyoko:** ... we can't protect her forever, Tsu-kun.  
**Tsuna:** I know ... unfortunately ... I know that.  
**Kyoko:** She has your strong and selfless soul. I'm sure she'll make it.

The man smiles and gets close to his wife to kiss her hot lips, then he prints another small kiss on the forehead of the child.  
The three remain so tight for a little longer, like a beautiful happy family.

 

***

 

The woman with long blond hair is still immersed in her dreams when the rain is over.  
The shutters of the shops are still down but the lunch time has passed long ago and she is still sitting there, cold and lost.  
Her cell phone rings suddenly, waking her so violently that she almost bangs her head against the shutter of the shop.

 **Arina:** A...

With trembling hands she grabs her phone and pulls it out of her pocket, looking at the screen.

 **Arina:** ... Nozo …

She looks down, looking sadly at the ground while holding her tears. She has really hoped to see Alessandro's name flashing on the screen, she can't hide her disappointment at learning that it's her little pupil instead.

 **Arina:** No. ... Not now Nozo ...

With her thumb she presses the red button, feeling guilty for having rejected the call of the child.

She walks slowly through the desolate road, under the gray sky.  
Her soul is torn, she wants to call Nozomi to know what happened but she also wants to know something about Alessandro. In addition, she wants to run away.  
She feels a whirlwind of emotions swirling in her heart but even if slowly she was still able to return home.

Goes up the stairs and reach the floor of her apartment, but her eyes widen when they observe with disbelief the figure in front of her door.  
Her heart seems to stop.

The boy's eyes are also looking at her, without even opening her mouth the girl throws herself into his arms and burst into tears.

 **Alessandro:** I'm sorry I made you worry, My mobile phone's battery was dead...

The blonde shakes her head as she pours the peach juice in the glass of the boy.

 **Arina:** Your parents...?  
**Alessandro:** In the hospital ... I don't know what's going to happen now ...  
**Arina:** You should be with them ...  
**Alessandro** I was worried about you. I knew you were anxious after hearing the news ...  
**Arina:** Sonia told me ...  
**Alessandro:** In any case it's okay, I'm sure my parents will be fine and I am luckily unhurt.

The blonde observes the boy thoughtfully, but she doesn't really want to lose time to think about something, therefore she seeks to make him feel good. She imagines that he may be worried about his parents, although he doesn't show it.

Suddenly the guy gets up and hugs her, catching her by surprise.

 **Arina:** Alessandro ... I was a fool ... I was afraid ...  
**Alessandro:** Quiet, everything is okay.

He helps her to stand up and accompanies her on the couch, sitting down next to her.

 **Alessandro:** Arina ... everything will be fine as usual. And then I can't die, I'm your boyfriend, right?

The little girl smiles sweetly, snuggling him.

 **Alessandro** And then ... uhm ... didn't you have to introduce your student to me?

Arina is detached from the boy and her eyes are sad.

 **Arina:** ... she called me ... but I didn't reply. I'm a horrible person ...

The boy shakes his head.

 **Alessandro** It isn't true. You were desperate ... you're a fifteen years old girl, this situation was hard also for you!

The girl smiles slightly.

 **Alessandro** Well, why don't you call her? I can't wait to meet her, if she has learned from you she surely is a wonderful child!

The blonde girl bites her lip, blushing, while extracts the phone from her pocket.

 **Arina:** In a few days it's going to be her birthday, so I don't think she can come before it. But next week we can arrange something.

She smiles at the man she loves and presses the green button, waiting to hear the shrill voice of the child.


	12. Target 12 - Promise

**Target 12 - Promise**

****

 

Two nice-looking women are helping the child to wear the heavy and bulky white and yellow dress, the little girl is so disappointed.  
One of the women is closing the zip on the back while the second is fixing the big skirt.  
That skirt is one of the many things that bother her and she continues to observe herself in the mirror with disgust, as she sees the lower half of the body vanish in a blaze of fabrics and laces and it seems a mozzarella rather than a skirt.  
Her mother is beside her and is arranging two ribbons that would have adorned the head of her daughter, the woman has a serene and happy look.  
Her blond hair is falling straight on her shoulders with elegance, while her yellow eyes are filled with love and look at the ribbons.

 **Nozomi:** Mama ... why I have to wear this dress? Can't I wear something plainer?

The small girl seems very upset while the two women help the child wearing two small fabric wings, under the astonished and terrified gaze of the little girl.  
Her mother look at her pretty disgusted look and almost doesn't chuckle at seeing her daughter like that.

 **Nozomi:** but... but ... are you making fun of me?

The woman shakes her head, trying to compose herself.

 **Kyoko:** What's wrong with the dress, Nozo-chan?

The girl spreads her arms and gives her a "don't you see?" expression and the woman can barely hold back another laugh.

 **Kyoko:** It seems perfect!  
**Nozomi:** No, mama! It seems that I'm just out of a French novel of the eighteenth century!  
**Kyoko:** There are many girls who want to dress like that, you know?  
**Nozomi:** I don't want it, it's horrible.  
**Kyoko:** Why do you say that? Today is a special day and Nozo-chan must be beautiful like a princess!  
**Nozomi:** Princess? I'm not a princess and I look more like a mozzarella.  
**Kyoko:** Um, then we'll eat you!

She laughs softly and that sweet smile almost doesn't force the child to resign.

 **Nozomi:** No. I'm not edible and I didn't come from the Sun King's France, okay?  
**Kyoko:** You are the princess of mom and dad, do you know he can't wait to see you?  
**Nozomi:** But Mom! I don't want to be any princess!  
**Kyoko:** All little girls dream of being princesses! I don't understand why Nozo-chan isn't happy to be a princess, with beautiful clothes and with so many people that today will celebrate her.

The maids help her to put on her gloves and then leave the room, after saying goodbye to mother and daughter with education.  
The small girl turns to her mother.

 **Nozomi:** I'm not a princess, I'm just Nozomi.

" _I can only be the future boss of a mafia family …_ "

Her mother puts her hands on the girl's shoulders and turns force her to look in the mirror, while she decorates her twin tails with the big bows she was preparing before.

 **Kyoko:** Nozo-chan, look at you, you're beautiful. You are our little princess. Every daughter is a princess for her parents, one day you will understand it.

She strokes her hair with a lilac brush, her gaze is loving and maternal.

 **Kyoko:** You now are eight years old and time passes faster and faster ... It looked like yesterday when I was in the clinic waiting you anxiously, or when you were little and the nights you woke up crying in your cradle.  
**Nozomi:** ... time passes, it is normal.  
**Kyoko:** But for mom and dad you remain our little girl. You have to live the wonderful moments as long as you're still a child, because someday the time will ask you to grow and everything that now you have, you won't have it any more.

" _I have to grow right now, mama …_ "

As if she has read her mind, the woman embraces the girl from behind and kisses her head, watching her little eyes in the mirror.

 **Kyoko:** You have to live life slowly, little by little. A child will do things as a child, a teenager will do things as a teenager and so on.

The resigned eyes of the little girl are wide open and the child observes those of her mother, who's smiling tenderly. Someone knocks on the door and Kyoko invites the person to enter without even asking who he is.  
Arina enters the room and is so excited when she sees Nozomi, so she runs towards her and hugs her.  
The blonde girl is wearing a white elegant dress, with a tight skirt that reaches the ankles and a few ribbons with decorative beads.

 **Nozomi:** Arina ... I ...  
**Arina:** You're beautiful Nozo! I'm sorry if I wasn't here in these days!  
**Nozomi:** No. ... that is ... don't worry about that ... your boyfriend ... uhm ...

The blonde girl doesn't know what to say, and the two are trying to express their feelings but they are interrupted by the woman who clears her throat.

 **Kyoko:** A child must do things as a child, a teenager must do things as a teenager. It's the normal course of life.

Arina shakes her head.

 **Arina:** No, I had a responsibility and ...  
**Kyoko:** A teenager has to make mistakes and learn from them, Arina-chan. Don't force yourself, despite your maturity you're still a little girl and it's normal that many times you can fall, but in the same way you'll know how to get up and move on. You have to live these experiences if you want to pass them to Nozomi.

Arina blushes, finally relaxing after who knows how many days of anxiety and worries.

 

***

 

A staircase separates them from the hall where the party is in progress and the child can only be more and more nervous while, at every step, feels the eyes of the guests on her, they seem curious and perhaps they are having a lot of fun.

 **Nozomi:** ... I can't understand why my mother made me dress like this...  
**Arina:** Nozomi ... you're beautiful, why are you so worried?

The small girl turns her embarrassed and bewildered gaze to her friend. She can't help herself to notice that, although both the clothes belong to a quite old style, Arina's one is certainly more decent and appropriate. At least, it doesn't have a wide and bulky skirt and stuffed wings.

 **Nozomi:** They're looking at me, I'm ridiculous!  
**Arina:** I don't think so, they're looking at you because you're the birthday girl!  
**Nozomi:** Yes, but I'm still ridiculous! Everyone are dressed in a normal way and ... it seems that I'm in the wrong era!

A "wow" interrupts her disappointment, the two turn around to see two children in a suit and tie, they're looking at Nozomi and Arina with amazement.  
Nozomi seems to change mood instantly and she runs to hug Claudio and Fabio, embracing them with a broad smile.

 **Claudio:** Wow... really ... you're beautiful!

The redhead can't help but look at her with wide and shiny eyes. The small girl breaks away from them and blushes.

 **Fabio:** It's the first time that we are at a party like this and... it's ... strange ...  
**Arina:** Well, yes, although it is a party for Nozomi's birthday, guests are still on another level ...

The small girl observes the tables and can't help but notice the buffet full of strange things.

" _Nothing that I can eat …_ "

After about ten minutes, in which the group is tucked away in the corner, talking and listening to Arina explaining about what happened to Alessandro, a tender voice resounds in the great room and everyone turns to the Tenth's bride. Kyoko is dressed up with a long salmon-colored dress, with many silver beads on the bust. Her long hair are soft and voluminous, decorated with some white flowers.

 **Kyoko:** We are very happy that you have decided to participate in this special party. How about if we brighten the evening with some music?

If someone needs to match the music to a party, the first things that they could think are stereo and speakers.  
However, that isn't a party but a mundane reception, so there is an orchestra playing a waltz instead.  
Fabio looks at them with perplexity, he also probably was expecting a stereo and disco music.  
The redhead, however, holds out his hand to the girl, who watches him curiously.

 **Claudio:** Would you like to dance with me?

The brunette raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

 **Nozomi:** But .. you can't dance a waltz, you don't know how to do it...

The boy giggles.

 **Claudio:** Don't underestimate me, I learn quickly.

When the redhead drags her in the middle of the room he hugs her and starts dancing, the little girl realizes that he has learned to dance the waltz and she can't take her eyes away from him for all the dance.  
She is surrounded by his sea-colored eyes but a man's voice manages to get her back to reality.  
When she turns she finds a man with brown hair, dressed in a dark gray suit and wrapped in a black cloak, similar to Primo-sama's one.  
The man kneels and observes the small girl with a broad smile, without losing his aura of majesty.

 **Tsuna:** Can I have this dance, your highness?

Nozomi is quite embarrassed, she holds out her hand and her father kisses it, then he gently pushes her toward him, turning for a moment to the previous partner.

 **Tsuna:** I'll steal her for just a few minutes.  
**Claudio:** Oh ... uhm ... it's ok, she's your daughter …

Claudio looks really embarrassed, especially since he has no idea how to respond to such a claim and the man smiles, amused, as he prepares to begin the dance with the baby.

While father and daughter draw the attention of the audience dancing here and there in the hall, Fabio has approached Arina and he tries to be brave, imitating his friend and asking her to dance.  
The girl smiles, looking around embarrassed, and nods.

At the end of the dance, when the music stops, in the middle of the room there is a small table on which rests a large cake in the shape of a jewel case, with a lot of jewels, gems and stuffed animals modelled in sugar paste.  
Tsunayoshi, amused, look at his daughter who runs near the cream and chocolate cake, observes it with surprise and happiness.  
There are eight candles, but since the cake is very tall and the child is very short, her father has to pick her up and helps Nozomi to achieve the right height.

The birthday song, the breath of the candles, the applause, the cutting of the cake, laughter, a moment of embarrassment and no one knows how much time has passed since the beginning of the party.

Claudio finds himself out of the hall observing the sky when sees that Nozomi has also reached the courtyard, lit only by the lights of windows. She sits on the edge of the fountain and he reaches her quickly and with a smile, sitting down next to her.

 **Claudio:** Why did you come here all alone? It's your party, after all.  
**Nozomi:** ... I remembered when you said that I'm not myself any more... it was right here.  
**Claudio:** Ah, when your father punished you...

The little girl looks at the sky.

 **Claudio:** You know, tonight you were as usual. I'm so happy.  
**Nozomi:** As usual?  
**Claudio:** Yes, smiling. Not like the last few days... I think you're worrying too much and you're forgetting the important things.  
**Nozomi:** What is important?  
**Claudio:** What makes you Nono-chan. Your smile and your joy!  
**Nozomi:** But I'm not so cheerful ...  
**Claudio:** Even if you think you are pretending to do it... it isn't true. Nono-chan really wants to be happy and if she wants it... then it is a true smile.

For a few moments they can only hear the sound of flowing water and the laughter in the distance.

 **Claudio:** Nee, Nono-chan. School starts next Thursday ...  
**Nozomi:** Yes, I know.  
**Claudio:** Why don't we meet tomorrow?  
**Nozomi:** Uh? Well, if you want, let's do something the three of us. What do you think we can do?

The redhead shakes his head, looking at the ground with insistence.

 **Claudio:** No, just the two of us ...

The little girl looks away.

 **Claudio:** Up the hill, behind the residence ... the place where we went last year.  
**Nozomi:** Um ... yes, I remember it.  
**Claudio:** So ... after lunch at the residence? Mh... what about at three o'clock?

Nozomi nods, waving her feet.  
Suddenly she felt something warm and wet on her cheek: the boy came over and gave her a tender kiss.  
He comes off and looks at her, embarrassed and with a nervous smile.  
Nozomi touched her cheek with her hand, blushing and unable to say anything.  
After a few seconds the boy chuckles, breaking the tension.

 **Claudio:** ... Fabio will be quite annoyed because I won the challenge ... but he also likes Arina-san, so he'll be fine.

They wince when a loud noise surprises them. Many colorful fireworks are blooming in the sky above them, it seems that they want to enlighten and bless the two children under the serene heaven decorated with colorful lights.

 

***

 

When Tsuna opens the door of the boss room he sees his daughter sitting on the chair and leaning against the desk, wearing a yellow pajamas.  
He isn't surprised at all.  
The girl was waiting for her father with anxiety because the party continued until late and the children were sent to bed before. However, Nozomi didn't sleep at all and she entered in that room, waiting patiently but nervous, her face is still embarrassed and her head is elsewhere.  
The man approaches her, crossing his arms and watching her with curiosity.

 **Tsuna:** What is it, Nozo-chan? Something is happened?

Her father has always tried to keep the baby away from that room. However, it isn't uncommon that he finds the daughter sitting on the small chair or on the sofa, when there's something worrying her.  
This is why Decimo is also worried about her.  
The child comes down of the chair and clings to the right hand of her father.

 **Nozomi:** Please! Please! Let me talk to Primo-sama, please! I know he is in the ring! I have to ask him something! Please!

The little girl seems to utter a cry of despair, it is the first time that she really wants to speak to the man she is obsessed with, but her father looks at her with apprehension and kneels in front of her, surrounding her face with his hands and looking in the little girl's eyes.

 **Tsuna:** He won't come, Nozomi. He won't do it because you can't call him and you can't ask him for any help.

Tears run down her face and Tsuna's look becomes more gentle.

 **Tsuna:** Any concern you have ... whatever choice you should do, you must do it alone. You can't ask him for help. Helping you isn't his duty.

He gives a kiss on her forehead and he accompanies the small girl, still dazed and confused, in her bedroom.

" _What should I do? Claudio is ... but Primo-sama ... I love Primo-sama ... and yet ..._ "

Thoughts and words, as if they were clouds, make their way in the sky of her heart. They are shaken rapidly by the breeze of her emotions and she, helpless, look at the scene lying on a flowery meadow that represents herself.

She turns away and looks at Claudio, who was also lying on the grass beside her, which stretches with a radiant smile.

 **Claudio:** You know, Nono ... I'm glad I came here today.  
**Nozomi:** ... it has always been a nice place ...

He gets up, watching her.

 **Claudio:** Nono ...

The girl gets up too and the wind reaches them, coming from the far sea, filling their lungs with the scent of flowers.

 **Claudio:** Nono ... I have something for you.

The young boy hands her a pink package with a red bow and she takes it, confused.  
Under the anxious look of the redhead, the brunette slowly unwraps it and looks at a white sachet. She opens it and puts the content on the palm of her hand.  
There's a shell pendant, which looks like a clam and that makes the girl smile. She suspects the pendant can be opened and in fact, pressing a button, manages to open it and sees a white pearl that begins to rotate with a music box melody.  
Her eyes shine.

 **Nozomi:** But .. but ...  
**Claudio:** when I saw it I thought of you ... I mean, it is a clam, right? It also has the pearl!  
**Nozomi:** Um ... clams don't have pearls... but ... it's beautiful ...

The redhead smiles and goes back to lie down on the cool grass followed by the little girl, after she puts the gift next to the two.  
The children listen to the melody, watching the sky with the breeze that caresses them and the sound of the sea that rocks them.

 **Claudio:** It would be nice to be able to throw ourself in the sea and swim to the ends of the world toward our destiny.

He turns to her.

 **Claudio:** Together, you and me.

The brunette looks at his clear eyes and she can't help but think about how much she is confused.  
She's also thinking about the man she loves.

 **Nozomi:** ... but I ... how could I forget that man?  
**Claudio:** It doesn't matter. I'll let you forget him!

The brunette blushes, returning to observe the sky with a thoughtful look.

 **Claudio:** ... promise me you'll be always the same Nono.

She turns back to him, puzzled.

 **Claudio:** Promise me that whatever happens you won't do anything that you wouldn't do.

The small girl nods.

 **Nozomi:** ... okay, I will try.

The boy jumps up and the little girl, almost frightened and confused, imitates him.

 **Claudio:** you can't just try it. One day you have to be Undicesima, right? Then, you have to make it.

Nozomi nods, plunging again into the blue eyes of her friend and blushing.  
Claudio raises his right hand and shows her his pinky.

 **Nozomi:** uh ...?  
**Claudio:** Give me yours. You have to make the promise.

The brunette lifts her right hand and squeezes the little finger with hers.

The child smiles, he's also losing himself in the honey eyes of the girl.

 **Claudio:** I solemnly promise that I'll stand beside you and protect you forever.  
**Nozomi:** And I ... I will try ... I mean... I'll succeed... to be always myself …

There are only the wind and the clear sky to act as witnesses to their oaths, but the children don't care about it.  
They squeeze their little fingers as if those words represent a hope for their future.


	13. Target 13 - Conspiracy

**Target 13 - Conspiracy**

****

 

That gray Tuesday the young Arina is already awake since dawn, she can't sleep well.  
Her heart beats faster, she is smiling and has spent a lot of time under the shower, deep in thought.  
She looks in the mirror many times, adjusting her blonde hair and watching the sparkling green eyes, full of euphoria.  
It's eight o'clock in the morning and the girl is ready, with a green dress and a belt.  
She sighs, observing around. Now she wears an apron and takes the vacuum cleaner.

She hums, vacuums and cleans every room.  
After laying the vacuum cleaner, the girl takes a rag and quickly slips it on the table and on the shelves.

 **Arina:** Well, everything is nice and clean!

She smiles, while throwing the dirty rag into the container of clothes to wash.

She stretches, moving closer to the stove and thinking on what to do. She wants to prepare something good, a meal that can make the guy happy.  
She takes a recipe and slides the index on the list of possible dishes. After choosing the menu of the day, checks if she is in possession of all the ingredients.  
Obviously, a high school girl who lives alone doesn't have many ingredients, so she already knows that she must go to the store.  
She takes her blue backpack and walks out, heading towards the nearest supermarket.

 **Arina:** So ... eggs, single cream, zucchini ... mh

As soon as she enters the store she feels an icy air that almost freezes her, despite the summer is ending it is still warm enough and there is an air conditioning in every local.  
The blonde girl looks around with curiosity, checking the shelves and finding herself to take products that aren't needed but that have good prices.

 **Arina:** Uh, this oil is very good ... ah! The tuna is cheaper! Heck, this pack of beans at half price ...

After a detergent pack and two packs of plastic soup plates, the girl finally comes out of the store with a smile and starts hopping towards the house.

It's already eleven in the morning and she rolls up her sleeves, she wants to prepare a delicious lunch for Alessandro.  
She turns on the mp3 connected to the speakers and begins to wash the zucchini, as she sways to the melody of the song of a famous American band.  
After she fried the side dish, she puts to cook the fillets of tender meat and weighs the pasta on the scale, while she waits for the oven to reach the proper temperature.

 _"He's going to like it. He must like it!"_ she chuckles, humming. _"It's going to be perfect."_

At half past noon the bell rings.

The young girl turns off the mp3 quickly and throws herself to the door, opening it and seeing a young relaxed and serene boy, she embraces him without thoughts and smells his scent.

 **Arina:** Welcome~  
**Alessandro:** 'morning, Arina.

The girl invites the guy to come in and Alessandro seems amazed by the beautifully table set with an elegant tablecloth, which clashes with the modern decor of the small apartment.

 **Alessandro:** Wow, you did great things.  
**Arina:** Why? Don't you like it?

She watches him worried but he shakes his head, with a hint of a smile.

 **Alessandro:** Of course I do.

He sits down, watching the girlfriend while she opens the oven and pulls out a pan with the pasta.  
Arina rapidly prepare two plates and brings them to the table, the guy smells the scent of pasta with single cream, prepared with bits of bacon and peas.

The little girl eats with love, as she watches the young man and her cheeks turn red.  
She is happy.

 **Arina:** Your parents? How are they?

The boy takes a sip of water and moans, without answering.

 **Arina:** ... things aren't going well, maybe?  
**Alessandro:** mh.

 _"He doesn't want to talk ... I can't insist."_ she sighs, deciding to give up the questions about his parents. She doesn't want to make him remember the incident so she remains silent and continues to contemplate him in secret.

When Alessandro sits on the couch after lunch, turns on the television and zaps between channels. Every now and then he glances at his girlfriend, he seems to observe her lower back persistently, while she washes the dishes embarrassed.  
The girl smiles, she doesn't mind if the boy gives her certain attention.

After a few moments she reaches him, the young man is seeing a thriller with concentration, but after a couple of minutes she feels his hand sliding over her body.

It doesn't take long to realize his intentions and pushes him aside, embarrassed.

 _"No, no. Not yet. I can't!"_ she shakes her head slightly, completely red and unable to say anything. She isn't ready for that after such a short time they were together.

The boy looks annoyed, snorts and looks away.  
The girl straightens her skirt nervously, unable to find a speech to do to pass the embarrassment.

Eventually the two find themselves watching a horror movie on a private network and the embarrassment goes away, now there's the fear of the girl and the laughter of the young.

The purple-haired boy glances at the clock on the wall. He moves his legs and change position, leaning back on the couch.  
The blonde girl observes the boy with concern.

 **Arina:** ... why are you so nervous?

The young man turns to the girl and looks at her blankly.

 **Alessandro:** It seems obvious.

The girl shakes her head thoughtfully.

 **Arina:** I don't understand ...  
**Alessandro:** She's still your student, right? What if she doesn't accept me? She seems to like you a lot.

The girl becomes puzzled and disappointed, and bows her head, sighing.

 _"She."_  
_"Why is he talking about her at such a time? He should think about me!"_  
In any case, she must calm him, he seems really uncomfortable.  
But why?

 **Arina:** No, don't worry ... she has also already seen you, after all ...

She blushed, remembering the kiss on the bench. Her first kiss.

 **Alessandro:** There is a difference between seeing and knowing someone.

Suddenly the phone rings and Arina almost doesn't have an heart attack. She jumps up, grabs the phone that was resting on the furniture and responds quickly.  
On the other side she hears a ringing voice and the blonde girl speaks to her almost coldly.

 **Arina:** Are you coming? All right, we'll wait.

She ends the call, putting the phone in her pocket and sighing, turning to look at the young man who is watching her with curiosity.

 **Arina:** They will be here in some minutes, I'll prepare a lemonade!

She says, trying to smile: she can't be happy, not any more. She is annoyed, she wants to tell Nozomi not to go, to leave them alone.  
At first she was happy that Alessandro wanted to know her but, suddenly, she can't no longer tolerate that idea. In addition, Alessandro seems nervous and continues to mention the little girl in the middle of speeches in which the child has nothing to do.  
The blonde girl stops in front of the entrance door, remembering how he insisted in meeting the child.  
Initially she was sure he wanted to enter more in her life, to learn more about her. When he learned of her pupil maybe he wanted to meet her to feel himself finally part of Arina's family.

But, at that time, she is no longer sure of it.

_"... And what if he prefers Nozomi instead of me?"_

She shakes her head in disbelief. How can he choose a girl of eight years? It's absurd and stupid, unless Alessandro is a pedophile.  
She doesn't even want to think the hypothesis that Alessandro likes children more, after all the young man liked Arina before he knew of the existence of her pupil.  
He can't have planned everything just to have the baby.

She tries to chase away those horrible thoughts, she becomes convinced that her boyfriend is nervous only because he has to meet her student and doesn't know if she will accepts him.  
It must be like that.

She decides to open the front door, leaving it ajar, then she takes the drink from the fridge.  
She pours the lemonade in five glasses and hands one to the boy while she drinks hers.

The young man gets up, sipping from the cup while looking sideways at the girlfriend, who ends up drinking all from her cup and resting the glass on the counter, next to the stove.  
Arina's is still very confused, almost worried.  
Now she is determined to forget about it, she just wants to hope that the day will soon pass.  
She looks at the clock, it's six past five and the boy rests the glass next to his girlfriend's one, then he embraces her.  
Arina startles, blushing because she didn't expect it.

But her heart is frightened.

 **Alessandro:** What a pity ... you haven't wanted to do _something_ with me, a little while ago …

Her eyes widen, she trembles.  
She knows that the guy had indecent thoughts, but she didn't feel ready for that.  
And, in that moment, she is terrified by something and she barely can answer.

 **Arina:** ... A ... Alessandro ... There will be always time ... for these things ...

She blushes and her heart beats rapidly, while she smells the scent of the boy.  
The scent she loves.

 **Alessandro:** uhm, but there is no another time.

She raises her head bewildered, when she feels something cold touching her face.  
She stays motionless, in disbelief and without saying nothing, watching the young man who moves away from her, holding a gun pointed to the head of the girl.

 **Arina:** A. .. Alessandro ...?  
**Alessandro:** Forgive me, Arina. I would have liked to have some fun with you, but you didn't give me satisfaction. Too bad.

Her heart leaps, again.  
Terror, fear, thoughts swirling in her head and the chest that seems to burn.

 **Arina:** ... But ... what …

The young man smiles with a grin.  
**Alessandro:** Soon the little Vongola will be here and I'll take care of her, so your task is completed.

_"Nozomi."_

Everything is white.  
She can hardly understand, she doesn't know what to say or how to move.  
She feels only an immense hatred inside her.

_"Nozomi. You again. It's always your fault."_

Her pupil took Alessandro away from her.  
Her fears were right, the guy is more interested in the child than Arina.  
She can't believe it, she doesn't want to believe it.  
Those months spent together have suddenly vanished.  
All because of Nozomi?

 **Alessandro:** My boss has a score to settle with the tenth Vongola boss and hired me for this job.

The girl shakes her head slightly, the cold metal still presses on her temple.  
Fragments of memories appear quickly before her eyes, all she has lived until a few moments before.  
Lies.

Alessandro is a liar, Alessandro has played with her feelings.  
She gave her first kiss to a spy, probably a murderer.  
She feels sick.

 **Arina:** Alessandro ...

She stammers that name with despair and horror, but the guy seems annoyed.

 **Alessandro:** Stop calling me that. My real name is Fabrizio.

The girl bites her lip, weeping. Her heart is destroyed, watching the image of the guy that becomes distort before her eyes.

 **Arina:** ... where is... Alessandro ...  
**Alessandro:** You never met the real Alessandro, he died with his relatives in the incident from the other day. We had to get rid of him.

 _"You had to get rid of him?"_ those words begin to turn on something inside her. " _... His boss has a score to settle with Decimo."_

Anger, hatred, frustration.  
And still hate.

He's part of _them_.

 **Arina:** ... Lhu... Lhumor ...  
**Alessandro:** Oh, how do you know ...?

He stops, puzzled, as long as he doesn't seem to understand the situation.

 **Alessandro:** Of course. Vongola Tenth.

The girl doesn't speak, she observes the cold eyes of the guy who doesn't express emotions.  
He is a murderer, heartless, uncaring and ready to do anything to accomplish his mission. Now she sees him for what he is, yet she loved him.  
The heart continues to struggle with the brain, which demands revenge.

 _"... He works for the people who killed my parents."_ she continues to repeat herself. _"He ... he gave me months of illusions and lies. He had just one goal."_

Arina brings her right hand to her chest, trembling, while copious tears run down her face.

 **Arina:** You ... you never ...

The boy snorts.

 **Alessandro:** Are you really asking for something so stupid? You were just a tool, I don't like you at all. Sure, at least I would have liked to have fun with you, but well, I can't have everything.

The young man shakes his head, shrugging.

 **Alessandro:** Come on, the lunch wasn't bad, I'll thank you with a quick and painless death.

She hears sounds that reverberate outside, probably coming from the entrance hall of the building. Perhaps they are coming, or perhaps other residents are returning home.  
Alessandro glances at the front door, then sees the blank look of the blonde girl.

 **Alessandro:** Don't worry, soon also your dear pupil will follow you.

Arina sees the face of the little girl through her broken memories, mixed in her heart.  
The child that she didn't want to see, in order to spend more time with her beloved one.  
The child that she started to hate, sure that Alessandro could be in love with her.  
The child she wanted to disappear because she's the cause of Alessandro's double play.

Which sins that poor child has? All because Decimo is her father?  
Even Arina is something like his adoptive daughter, as he took her with him when she was a child. In addition, she sees Decimo as a sort of tutor.  
She loves Decimo and she loves Nozomi.

And she has hated that child because her fault was to be Decimo's daughter.  
Because Alessandro's goal is Nozomi.

 _"He wants to kill her. He wants to kill her to make Decimo suffer."_ her rationality slowly comes back, although she feels the guts squirm.  
_"Even Nozomi is a victim, just like me."_

The left hand of the young girl slips into the pocket.  
She has them with her.  
She almost never used them but Reborn told her to never part from them, because one day she surely would use them.

_"Reborn, Decimo's tutor ... you knew something like this would happen? "_

She wants to ask for help but she's alone, the index of the young man slips on the trigger and the girl will soon die in a scarlet lake.  
After her, there are going to be three other victims, innocent children.

A click sounds in the house, but luckily no one died.  
The girl has moved and the young man stepped back, with his arm scratched and looking angry.

 **Alessandro:** ... YOU.

Arina has long silver claws wrapped by a greenish flame of lightning.  
She is looking at the boy with apathetic gaze, despite her eyes are desperate and full of silent prayers.

But the boy has no heart, he doesn't care about anything.  
He's a bloody murderer in charge of killing the daughter of Tenth and anyone who appears before him.

The guy isn't stupid, he throws himself against Arina and lowers himself quickly, hitting her legs by stealth and being able to dodge her attacks just to get behind her.  
Arina realizes he wants to focus on her neck, so she rushes forward, turning quickly and continuing to attack with her claws, dodging the shots of the silencer.  
More than once the young boy is touched by the nails and curses her, he arrives at the table and he pushes it violently against her.  
The girl quickly jumps on the table, the killer is confused and probably didn't expect that agility from her.  
She watches him from above, scanning the face of an angry and ruthless murderer.

No, he isn't Alessandro.  
The poor Alessandro has never met her, he was killed for revenge.  
Who knows how much was sweet and nice that Alessandro, if only she had known him.  
He can no longer smile, he can no longer stay with his friends, he will never have a girlfriend and will never grow old with his family.  
The poor Alessandro was killed because he was in the way for people who were using his name in a plan.

Alessandro Demerito, as well as his mother and his uncle, are victims.  
Other victims of Lhumor Corporation, together with her parents and other people killed in the ambushes of fourteen years earlier.  
Ambushes against the Vongola, revenges against Decimo.

Broken lives for the cruelty and arrogance of people.

Will she also die for those stupid reasons? She is against a certain Fabrizio, a guy who she actually doesn't know at all, he wants to kill her and he's holding also a gun pointed to her, a victim like so many others.

She is a victim just because she is close to Nozomi. Perhaps, if she goes away from the child and from that life she will no longer be used by anyone and she won't die like Alessandro.

But what about Nozomi? No matter what she tries to do in order to hide her identity, she is always a victim and a target.  
If Arina can be saved, Nozomi can't.  
Her fate is only one.

Her eyes are filled with bitter tears. That teen girl, who helps people and loves her friends, has hated the poor child because she dragged Arina in that situation.  
She didn't realize that she was already in that world ever since Decimo took her with him.  
She can't escape any more, as well as Nozomi.  
She has to move on with her.

Being together, they can help each other and they can overcome the obstacles.  
If they are together, they can be happy.

The boy shoots again and again, moving and sheltering behind the table, but Arina no longer sees the boy as her beloved boyfriend. She sees him as a mere murderer from which she must defend herself.  
She has three children to protect, small victims of the hatred of adults.  
She doesn't hesitate a moment when, after a feint, she gets behind him and hit him with violence, sinking her claws into the flesh and raging again and again.

Again and again.

She cries, while she moves mechanically on Fabrizio's body.  
She doesn't know who is Fabrizio, she knows only that he is a mean man and wants to kill her.  
So she defended herself, for that reason his clothes are now dirty with scarlet stains and the body of the boy fell to the ground, dying.

The wounds are multiple and profound, he will soon die from loss of blood.  
Or, probably, he is already dead.  
She doesn't want to check it, remains motionless to observe his mangled body.  
The only sounds are the ticking of the clock and the labored breathing of the girl, the drops of blood that fall from her claws, guilty of that act.

She has become a murderer, but who's the fault?  
She can't hate Decimo or Nozomi, their aren't guilty.  
The world is rotten.

She looks up towards the entrance of the house, her eyes meet the ones of the child.

She shudders.

Those eyes are furious, filled with hate, her body is trembling and she hardly holds back from crying.

_"No... Nozomi ... It's not ... "_

What has she seen? What is she thinking? Does she thinks that Arina is a murderer?  
It is funny that Arina has hated her just before and now she is terrified of her judgement.

 **Arina:** ... N ...

She can't pronounce her name, the words won't come out from her lips.

 **Arina:** N... U... Undicesima ...

She realizes that she hasn't the courage to call the child by name, not after she showed her that disgusting scene.  
Not after Arina has hated her from the bottom of her heart for something so stupid.

The child shakes her head, almost in disbelief.

 **Nozomi:** ... Lhumor ... right?  
**Arina:** ... huh?

She doesn't seem to have understood well, why did the child say that name?

A thought in her head.  
Nozomi has understood everything.

 **Nozomi:** ... first your parents and now your heart ... no ... it's enough.

The small girl shakes her head again, stepping back.  
Nozomi doesn't hate her, hasn't misunderstood anything. She already has figured out everything.

_"She ... she wants to ... "_

_ _

**Arina:** Undicesima ... wait ... don't …

She raises her arm towards her, as if she wants to grab her pupil, but the little girl turns and runs away. Almost mechanically and without hesitation Arina is following her.

Where is she gone? Where is she going? Does she already knows where she can find them? Is she running away randomly because she is sad, or is she directed to a particular place?  
In her house there is a corpse full of blood and in one of her pockets there are the murderer weapons. How can she go on like this, with the risk that someone could notice the blood on her dress or find Fabrizio's body in her house?  
She doesn't know what to do or think, at that time she has only one idea in mind.

She must save her. She must save Nozomi.

It was her task from the beginning.

But, at that time, she begins to understand why.  
She needs to save her from the mistake that she has just committed, before the eyes of the innocent child.  
She must prevent that the child gets her hands dirty with blood.  
Because hate, anger and revenge.

She stops just past the doorway, looking disoriented the driveway. In front of her there is only Fabio, who is looking around confused.

 **Fabio:** Nono-chan ... she has gone away. Claudio has followed her...

The girl doesn't want to wait more, not after having learned that Claudio is also in danger.  
She automatically takes her mobile phone from her pocket, dialing a number before starting to run as fast as she can.  
Her legs hurt, bloody claws are still stored in the other pocket and the fragments of her heart are scattered along the road she is pursuing.


	14. Target 14 - The mist

**Target 14 - The mist**

****

 

Now it's late afternoon, the clouds cover the summer sun and the streets are crowded.  
Kids and adults are walking quickly up and down the sidewalk in a side street.  
Among many buildings there is one in particular similar in appearance to the others: five floors, built with a modern style, automated glass doors and flower pots adorning the entrance.  
The door is opened and closed without a precise rhythm, letting in and out busily employed in suits and ties.  
Beside it, a greenish gate with automatic opening invites the cars to enter to get to the underground garage and in fact, among the many cars passing through that road, some of them are directed there.  
It looks like a normal office of some kind of agency, but they know that it isn't like that.

The red-haired child remains silent, not finding the right words to pronounce, while viewing the face of his friend, angry but quiet, with her light brown eyes obscured by some kind of nefarious thoughts.  
The small girl observes the building, like she's almost studying it, until her attention moves to the adjacent one, a building of seven floors with two elderly women who are talking next to the entrance.  
She looks at left and right and then she cross quickly the road, followed by the boy, so they finally reach the entrance of the building.  
Claudio looks at the two elderly women who turn to him with a wide smile, before returning to their speeches.  
Nozomi has moved further forward, towards the suspicious building, looking up.  
He doesn't have time to reach her because his friend has already returned and is now entering the apartment building.

He again fails to say anything, he doesn't even know what to say. He just follows her up the stairs to the first floor, and he walks over to her when she opens the hall's window and looks out, right and left.  
She goes up on the window sill and she stretches out toward the wall of the other building, going up on the ledge and flattening herself against the wall.  
The red-haired boy, albeit hesitant, does the same, going up on the sill and stretching out his foot on the ledge. He quickly follows the little girl who, one step after the other and towards the left, reaches an open window.

" _She saw that windows a little while ago and she thought to getting there from here?_ " thinks, in disbelief, " _That's cool, it seems one of those games where you can jumps to the rooftops …_ "

The child follows her friend into the room, fortunately empty, coming down from the ledge and observing around. It is clearly an office, there are shelves with documents and papers scattered around, a desk with a computer and a machine next to the door that is probably a photocopier.  
He doesn't pay much attention, he has to go after his friend.

But why is he there?  
He knows what building is it and he knows Nozomi's intentions.

What happened just before?  
When the three children have reached Arina-san's apartment they heard strange noises and both Claudio and Fabio have been left behind, almost fearful, while Nozomi ran to the door and remained motionless with a worrying look.  
What happened in that apartment? What has the little girls seen?  
Arina-san was definitely fine, he heard her voice, has seen Nozomi talking to her before she ran away.

He doesn't want to leave her alone, not in that mental state.  
He always said that Nozomi is becoming gloomy as when he met her, three years before, when he did everything to see her smiling. He hated to see her alone on the sidelines while everyone was playing. She didn't speak, didn't smile, was always thoughtful and only read books.  
Where was flying her imagination?  
He wanted to know it, wanted to get close to her, wanted to see her smile.  
There is something special about her, a strange light that attracts him. He wants to be with her, doesn't want to separate from her.  
He wants to be with her forever.  
Those are strange thoughts for a eight years child, yet these are his feelings.

He follows her, looking out into the corridor to see how many people are out there, waiting for the opportune moment to move.  
The girl rushes towards the nearest office, the door to their left, opening it with great luck and slipping inside.  
The red-haired child looks around and notices that the room is exactly like the first one. Paperwork, computers, random machinery, a plant under the window, a messy desk, a telephone and a TV up on the wall.  
He turns to her friend, seems she's thinking about something, then takes a breath and decided to talk.

 **Claudio:** And now?

He can't predict her reaction, maybe she won't respond to him and will go on without giving him an answer, or she'll keep being cold.  
Sighs, already aware that she wouldn't answer.  
However, a few moments later, she speaks.

 **Nozomi:** We need a diversion.  
**Claudio:** For what?  
**Nozomi:** He will surely be on one of the top floors.  
**Claudio:** Are you sure?  
**Nozomi:** The leaders are always in high places, of course.  
**Claudio:** He could be a different boss ...  
**Nozomi:** No, I'm sure he's there. Either way we'll find out.

The redhead looks around, twisting his mouth, when an idea comes to his mind. He turns around and looks at the white door of the office.

 **Claudio:** I think I know what to do.

The small girl turns again to him.

 **Nozomi:** What?  
**Claudio:** But you have to promise me that you won't kill him.

The small girl watches her friend and Claudio keep observing her.

 **Claudio:** Don't do it. It isn't a good thing. You can't kill people, you'd be a murderer too.  
**Nozomi:** I can't promise you, I don't know.  
**Claudio:** At least ... promise me that you'll do anything to find another way.  
**Nozomi:** Maybe, yes. But it depends...  
**Claudio:** I don't think that Vongola Primo would be happy if you kill someone ...  
**Nozomi:** ... He .. wasn't a saint. He also had to take very bad decisions.  
**Claudio:** Maybe he had to do that because he was an adult and he knew what to do... but you don't. If you were older perhaps you might think differently.  
**Nozomi:** Never mind, it's now that I have to think about it. For Arina ... for what he did to my Arina ...

The red-haired boy approaches the child and suddenly embraces her.

**Claudio:** You ... you really love her, huh? I thought you were jealous ...  
**Nozomi:** No it's not like that. Arina couldn't stand me because she was forced to do it ... I think that she couldn't understand how she should have acted with me because I was... weird. But in the end she was always with me ... she have never abandoned me, even though I was only a burden.  
**Claudio:** You're not a burden!  
**Nozomi:** If I had to take care of myself, I would send me to hell because I'm unbearable ... so I understand her.

The child laughs, breaking away from her and watching her eyes. The small girl blushes, rocking.

 **Nozomi:** I don't want her to suffer more! She has already suffered enough because of that man!  
**Claudio:** That man? The boss of the Lhumor?  
**Nozomi:** Miles! Victor Miles!  
**Claudio:** Your father may take care about this...  
**Nozomi:** No! I have to take care of this! My father is too kind, he wouldn't give him the punishment he deserves!  
**Claudio:** And why do you think you can decide the punishment he deserves?

The little girl seems perplexed, she observe her friend with a puzzled look.

 **Claudio:** Promise it.

The girl looks away, embarrassed.  
She throws him fleeting glances, brooding, and then she nods.

 **Nozomi:** I'll try ...

The redhead smiles, taking her hand.

 **Claudio:** When we crossed the hall there was a glass thing, right outside here. There was written "press in case of emergency." Maybe ... if you press that, something may happen...  
**Nozomi:** Oh? Ah, that button ... right.

The small girl moves closer to a shelf and grabs a greyish statuette, an elephant with the trunk raised, then she returns by her friend and gives it to him.  
They open the door slowly, making sure that there is no one. The two are waiting anxiously, hand in hand, looking through the crack for about a minute.  
Claudio's heart is beating rapidly and, occasionally, he observes his friend and smiles.  
Nozomi is also nervous, less cold and more human.  
He is happy, he knows that if she keep being like this she would surely keep the promise.

When the road is finally free, Nozomi quickly opens the door and the redhead reaches the glass, breaking it with the statuette, and then presses the button on the inside, slightly hurting the hand because of the broken glasses around the case, but he doesn't care about it. He goes back into the room just before when a loud alarm sounds, it echoes through the corridors of the building.  
The children, who are holed up in the office, listen to the sound of the opening doors of the adjacent rooms. They hear footsteps, confused voices and from the speaker a woman is inviting the employees to evacuate the building.  
They look at the corridor and take advantage of the confusion to sneak into the elevator at the end of it, fortunately free because all the people went to the stairs.

The brunette jumps, reaching the button number five, the last floor.  
Claudio is nervous, trembling, as well as his friend. She has always dreamed of mafia wars and clashes of any sort but surely has never found herself in such a situation.  
The elevator doors open onto a crowded hallway, full of worried-looking men who're speaking aloud.

\- Go and see if our leader's helicopter is arrived, it had to be already on the terrace! -

Nozomi takes the sleeve of her friend and begins to run, throwing herself down the halls and carefully looking around themselves, probably looking for the room of the leader, but how can they recognize it? The offices are all the same or, at least, they seem pretty similar from the outside.

 **Claudio:** Nono ... how can we find him?  
**Nozomi:** We have to find the terrace! Didn't you hear that man? Their boss is going to take the helicopter.  
**Claudio:** Do you think he's going up?  
**Nozomi:** If he isn't already there, he surely will go.

The voice from the speaker encourages all employees to calm down, probably they have already discovered that there is no emergency.  
But they have to go on, the two children are running in the hallway, passing between the employees who have already seen them.  
Claudio is sure that one of them was calling the guards, now the presence of the intruders is revealed so they must act quickly.  
Otherwise, something bad will happen.

He doesn't even want to think what would have happened if they had been caught.  
His heart beats faster and chills run through his body, he feels as if something is about to happen.  
He squeezes Nozomi's hand instinctively.  
His Nozomi.

What's going to happen to them? Would they be able to reach their goal or they would come to a bad end?

He freezes, ending his race, leaving Nozomi's hand.  
Two strong arms grabbed and lifted him, he can only look at his friend who has also stopped, some steps away from the stairs that probably lead to the terrace.  
The brunette turns, observes the child and the men with a confused and disbelief look.

Claudio knows he is in the hands of the guards, two of them, they are looking at the children with grim face.

_"... We're just kids …"_

He hears the voice of a man, deep and cold, almost amused.

\- She is the Vongola! - a guard says.  
\- Let's take her to the boss. - the man who's holding the child seems quite satisfied.  
His breath reaches the neck of the redhead and his hand is moving quickly towards his side.

A metallic sound.

Claudio was still looking at Nozomi's face, he's calm.  
He smiles.

_"Nono ... you know I love you, right?"_

A strong noise.

Black.

 

***

 

The brunette observes everything blankly, as if her soul is elsewhere.  
Her gaze is on her friend, her eyes are on the scarlet liquid that falls from his forehead.  
He is now on the ground, the two dropped him.  
Away.  
Forever.

**Nozomi:** Cla ... udio?

Blood.  
Blood.  
Darkness, pain, mist.

Mist.

The two are getting closer, slowly.  
She doesn't see them, doesn't want to see them. She only sees Claudio, and blood, and pain.  
Fragments of smiles, laughter and sky.  
Away, away forever.

And then, the darkness.

The disoriented voice of the guards seem to get lost in the maze of her mind.  
Why are those men still there? They're hindering her.

It's still dark.

No, it isn't dark, it is indigo.

_"I want a gun, I have to delete them."_

She looks at her hands, she's really holding a gun.

_"It's perfect!"_

Not just two hits, but another ten of them.

The guards are on the ground, in a pool of blood.  
Indigo.

She turns and walks up the stairs. The screams don't touch her, they swirling around her like a sweet melody.

_"Screams, cry, suffer, despair.  
The death you brought will destroy you. "_

Without realizing it her hair is already blowing into the wind. She moves in front of a figure, a man in his forties with blond hair and a beard surrounding his face.  
He fixes his glasses, watching his wristwatch before looking up and noticing the presence of the girl, disoriented.

_"It's him, it's him!"_

The man shakes his head, backing away.

 **Victor:** ... you ... you are the daughter of the Tenth?!

 _"Here, he's here!"_ she smiles, maybe because she doesn't want to cry.

 **Victor:** Wait, we can talk ... Come on, don't make hasty decisions ...

He backs, scared, looking at the girl with concern.

_"Go on, go on!"_

The man is observing her with perplexity, looking at the child's body.

 **Victor:** What is ... that bluish thing that is coming out of your chest...?

She doesn't understand, the man is speaking in an incomprehensible way.

 **Victor:** A flame? But the one of the sky should be different ... Wait ... that flame, I already saw it...

She moves forward again, and the man backs.

 **Victor:** Please stop!

_"Go on. Just a little more."_

The man is really scared but also angry, doesn't know whether to look at the strange indigo flame or the gun pointed at him.

 **Victor:** Damn ... you and your father ...

_"Disappear! Disappear!"_

One more step and Miles finds himself on the ledge, there are no nets or railings.

 **Victor:** No, wait!

She advances, again.  
Again and again.

He puts one foot behind, loses his balance and falls.

Down from the roof.

_"It's done! It's done!"_

The brunette runs forward, she wants to see the corpse with her own eyes, but one hand drags her away before she can see below.  
She is violently turned towards the entrance, embraced by a blonde woman.  
Instinctively she drops the gun. It vanishes.

Arina is crying desperately.

_"Why are you crying? The man who made you suffer fell down, he's dead!"_

**Arina:** I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's all my fault!

She sighs, keeps hugging her, but Nozomi doesn't understand that behaviour.  
Why is she crying? She should rejoice!

The brunette raises her head and crosses the intense but gloomy brown eyes similar to hers.  
Smiles.

 **Nozomi:** Papa... The bad man is gone, it's thanks to Nozo-chan! Is papa proud of Nozo-chan, now? Has Nozo-chan been a good girl?

The man doesn't respond, still stares at her with sadness, his men slowly approach the two girls.

Suddenly, a thought.

 **Nozomi:** Uh ... Where is Claudio?


	15. Target 15 - To the light

**Target 15 - To the light**

****

 

In front of the window a man is watching the outside with a thoughtful look.  
He is remembering the events of the week before and everything that has happened in recent days.  
He rests his hand on the cold glass and finds himself to observe the ring on the finger, a silver ring with a bluish stone in the center, "Vongola" is written around the nucleus and it is surrounded by rainbow-colored rays.  
He paints a nostalgic smile.

Long before he was wearing a much bigger one decorated with a necklace, with a stone in the center and the symbol of the tenth.  
Only five years ago he had called the master blacksmith who forged the Vongola Gears from the fragments of the Vongola Rings, destroyed by the Simon, and asked him to bring them back to their natural and legitimate form. With the technologies acquired at that time it wasn't a problem for the elderly Talbot, although he took seven months to put them back.  
The man was really fond of his Gear, as the other members of the family. Unfortunately, however, the Gears were modelled on their body and needs, so he had to return them to their original appearance in order to be worn by those who would have been the future successors.

He turns around, approaching the desk and sitting down in his chair, crossing his legs and grabbing documents.  
He looks up a few seconds later, observing a man who just entered and is approaching the desk. He wears a dark suit and a hat, also has two curious curled sideburns.  
Tsuna smiles.

 **Tsuna:** You're here early, Reborn.

The man sits on a chair next to the desk, adjusts his hat with a hint of a smile.

 **Reborn:** What did you expect, Tsuna? As soon as I knew about it I rushed here. It isn't a good situation.

The Tenth sighs, returning to scrutinize the documents. In some papers there's written a name well known to him: "Neo Vongola Primo."  
Again?  
He thought he had explained it.

He looks up, looking to the man sitting in front of him.

His life has changed, he lives in that place and now he has an united family, everything thanks to him.  
Reborn is his partner, his best friend, his companion in adventure.  
One day, after his further refusal to become Tenth, he was gone. Tsuna was afraid of losing a friend, to be back to his life as a loser.  
But he came back again as his tutor, to train him in order to make him the leader of the new Vongola, with the name of Neo Vongola Primo.  
It was strange, almost absurd, even fun. In fact he didn't care about it, he only wanted Reborn back in his life to share with him new adventures and new precious moments.  
Yet that funny title, which in the end may also reflect his vision of Vongola, wasn't good for him.  
The symbols as Tenth fill his life: X-Burner, X-Gloves, the Vongola Gear and the way Gokudera-kun has always called him.  
It was stupid to change it, a name can't change his mind or his intentions and can't influence the Vongola.  
He is Vongola Decimo, willy-nilly, and everything else just depended on his own will.

Yet sometimes there are some people who still call him "Primo" or "Neo Primo." It's really embarrassing, because he already knows one Primo and certainly he doesn't want to replace him.  
Sighs.

 **Reborn:** Everyone are already there, they're waiting.  
**Tsuna:** Well, then let's go.

Tenth stands up, followed by his former tutor, heading towards the corridor and quickly going through it, step by step, coming in a huge room with a long table in dark wood, surrounded by six men.  
The boss is approaching to one end of the table and sits, waiting while his tutor sits at the other end of it.

He looks at the audience with serious look: to his left there is his right-hand man, Gokudera Hayato, which is shutting down another cigarette in an ashtray; Yamamoto Takeshi is organizing the sheets in a greenish folder and, next to him, Chrome Dokuro observes the boss with the same seriousness of others, but with a bit of concern; In front of her there is, with everyone's surprise, Hibari Kyoya, his gaze isn't directed at anyone, he has his eyes closed and seems lost in his own world; Lambo plays with his braids and doesn't seem to care about what is happening around him; to Tsuna's right there's Ryohei, his brother-in-law, who has his chin resting on folded hands, waiting for the meeting to begin with nervousness.  
Reborn, on the other end of the table, looks at the present with a serious expression.

 **Tsuna:** Gokudera-kun.

The albino takes some documents from the folder that Yamamoto had just before, placing them on the table.

 **Gokudera:** We took care of the information and all the files found in the old building.  
**Yamamoto:** They pretty much left everything in our hands, before fleeing.  
**Tsuna:** The employees?  
**Ryohei:** I took care of them, we got them all.  
**Lambo:** I also contributed, huh ...  
**Chrome:** Boss, we made sure that no external people realized what had happened.  
**Tsuna:** So the "repair" is successful. And what about the connections abroad?  
**Hibari:** I've already bitten them to death.

Everyone turn towards Hibari, worried.

 **Tsuna:** ... then you've found them all.  
**Hibari:** We took the bases in Tennessee, Georgia and Connecticut. They also had contacts with some bases in China and Sweden. Obviously we got those too.  
**Tsuna:** Perfect.  
**Hibari:** Still no one found his corpse.

There's a disturbing silence.

 **Gokudera:** We sieved the area several times, but there isn't any shadow of Miles's corpse.  
**Ryohei:** We believe that someone could have taken him.  
**Yamamoto:** Surely, someone who has escaped from us. But it is really strange, we captured all the registered employees ...  
**Gokudera:** Evidently it's someone that wasn't registered.  
**Lambo:** But at least he's dead, right?  
**Hibari:** Tsk, stupid ignorant herbivore. A person isn't dead until you clearly see his lifeless body.

The lightning shuts up, wrinkling his nose and leaning back in his chair.

 **Yamamoto:** What it's important for us, in addition to the disappearance of Miles's corpse, it's what exactly happened that day.  
**Gokudera:** According to the autopsy of the bodies found on the top floor, the cause of death was due to countless shots. But there is a problem ...  
**Yamamoto:** The bullets have not been found either at the place of the crime or in their corpses.

Tenth sighs.

 **Gokudera:** So the explanation is only one.

The albino turns to the purple-haired woman who crosses his eyes with her left eye, the one not covered by the bandage.

 **Chrome:** Yes, it's about illusions.  
**Reborn:** So the bullets were created with the flame of the Mist?  
**Chrome:** It's an evidence. The firearm and the bullets... they're definitely been created with the mist.  
**Gokudera:** Here the question: was Nozomi the one who created that gun? Since when does she have the flame of the mist?  
**Chrome:** This confuse me too, I hadn't felt it and still can't do it.

Tenth sighs again.

 **Tsuna:** ... It's impossible.  
**Reborn:** What's up, Tsuna?  
**Tsuna:** I also never felt it. Nozomi can't own the flame of the Mist, yet only her could have used it... but how?  
**Gokudera:** Usually people are born with specify hados, they couldn't be acquired. Maybe she was predisposed to it?  
**Lambo:** I remember that Nozo-chan already owns two of them... I mean, besides the one of the sky she owns another flame...  
**Ryohei:** It's the flame of the sun to the extreme!  
**Tsuna:** Yes, sky and sun.  
**Ryohei:** Well, she acquired it from her uncle! ... and also from Kyoko.  
**Chrome:** We're not sure if Kyoko-chan owns it, it's just a guess ...  
**Tsuna:** This is not important now. Please.

Again there's silence, which lasts for a few seconds.

 **Gokudera:** So, we can say that Nozomi owns three flames, including the mist, she used it to create the gun that hit three employees and two guards of the Lhumor.  
**Tsuna:** No. I'm sure Nozomi isn't predisposed to it. But if I have to explain how she could do it... I can't say.  
**Yamamoto:** Isn't it possible that the flame developed rapidly, flowing through her mental status and her desire to create something that would fulfill her anger?  
**Hibari:** She wanted to avenge her friend just killed, but it's not possible. We still can't feel that flame.  
**Lambo:** Ah, true ... Claudio-kun is dead ...  
**Tsuna:** ... I can understand her despair. I never imagined that she could witness such a horrible situation. Not so soon ... at least.  
**Gokudera:** Sooner or later it would happen.  
**Tsuna:** I would have preferred later.  
**Reborn:** This is the world you live in, Tsuna. This is why you would have prepared her for it.  
**Tsuna:** Nozomi is young, she has a life ahead and I want her to live as a normal girl. I let her learn self defence when she was just five only because Kyoko-chan asked me for it... also cause she is still a girl and she needs to know how to protect herself. ... But that's enough.  
**Yamamoto:** Now how is she? It's a couple of days I don't visit her.  
**Lambo:** The last time we saw her she wasn't in good conditions ...  
**Tsuna:** She's destroyed. Shamal said she needs time to accept it. She's blaming herself for what happened ... And I'm starting to think to send her far from here.  
**Reborn:** What do you mean?  
**Tsuna:** I decided to send her to Japan by my mother. I am sure that Namimori's air can be good for her.

The men turn to stare at the Tenth with surprise. Reborn himself raises an eyebrow, puzzled.

 **Reborn:** Do you really think this is the right thing? Namimori is definitely a more peaceful place, but I prefer not to separate her from you and Kyoko. A child needs parents, remember how you felt because of Iemitsu's absence.  
**Tsuna:** I know what it means and I'm not going to vanish into thin air like my father. Telephone, internet and more, now remote communications are facilitated. I will try to contact her often, but the important thing is that she stay away from here.  
**Reborn:** And separate her from Kyoko?  
**Tsuna:** I think Kyoko-chan has to go with her.  
**Ryohei:** Huh?! Are you sure, Tsuna?  
**Tsuna:** A mother needs to be with her child. Also I don't want to part with her, she's still my little girl ... but I have to think about what is good for her. She can't grow here, in the midst of these confusions.  
**Reborn:** Is she going to accept it? Have you thought about her reaction?  
**Tsuna:** It does not matter. Nozomi should grow up in a better place, away from danger. She can like it or not, but she will move.

His voice seems to tremble for a moment, the man took a difficult decision and he isn't going to change his mind. That choice is also bad for his heart.

 **Reborn:** I see. So you want to force the child.  
**Tsuna:** Someday she'll be used to it, it's for her own good. I don't want she is involved in mafia wars and I don't want she grows knowing already how her future will be. I want she knows it as late as possible. And for me, I don't event want to give her all this ...  
**Reborn:** I want you to remember that currently you, Nozomi and Iemitsu are the only ones with Vongola blood.  
**Tsuna:** ... You know I don't care about this, Reborn.  
**Reborn:** Yes, I know. It was just to make that clear.

The Tenth observes the ring, playing with his left hand's fingers.

 **Hibari:** You say you don't want to show her this world when you know that she is already aware of many more things than we do. You are not consistent, Sawada Tsunayoshi.  
**Gokudera:** ... are you talking about her dreams?  
**Yamamoto:** Are we sure of it? We don't have evidence about them.  
**Gokudera:** You don't need further testing and we know that such events she always tells aren't in any public document.  
**Tsuna:** Yeah, Hibari-san is right. However, even if this uncanny ability has already made her aware of what we are and everything else, I still don't want her to be surrounded by wars and situations from her dreams, but a quiet and carefree life. Between dream and reality, however, there is difference.  
**Reborn:** Alright. We can conclude this. What do you want to do about Miles? The alarm is still there.  
**Tsuna:** About him ...  
**Hibari:** I'll keep looking for him. I want to bite him to death.  
**Tsuna:** ... Well. Yes, continue with the researches and leave active the state of alert, better keep our eyes open to avoid dangers.  
**Gokudera:** We have a time limit?  
**Tsuna:** ... a couple of years. If beyond this limit we can't figure out something and we don't get more clues, I will declare the end of the emergency.

Tenth gets up, taking the documents and reordering them.  
His men imitate their boss and the meeting is ended.

 

***

 

 **Kyoko:** Tsu-kun, there's no other way ...?

The man, who was sitting next to the little girl with vacant eyes, nods.

 **Kyoko:** ... I don't want to leave you alone.  
**Tsuna:** Nozo-chan can't stay here. Not any more.  
**Kyoko:** ... but ...  
**Tsuna:** You must go to Namimori by my mother. You have to be with her, Kyoko. You're her mother, she needs you.  
**Kyoko:** And you too! You're her father! And also I ... I need you, Tsu-kun.  
**Tsuna:** Same for me, Kyoko ... but ... we have to think about her, now.

The woman turns to the little girl, she's caressing a white and black purring cat. Her face is lethargic, she has almost ghostly eyes, doesn't speak. She hasn't opened her mouth from that day, as if her soul was gone.  
Kyoko comes down and hugs her, stroking her hair.

 **Kyoko:** ... Nozo …

Tsuna looks both with sweetness, they are the women of his life. His beautiful wife and their baby, the two most important persons for him, and it's his duty to protect them.

 **Kyoko:** Tsu-kun ... I will accompany her, but I'm not going to stay in Namimori.

The man's gaze darkens.

 **Tsuna:** Why?  
**Kyoko:** She will grow well with the loving care of Nana-san, I don't need to stay there.  
**Tsuna:** She needs her mother!  
**Kyoko:** And her father too! She needs both, Tsu-kun. And I don't want to leave you, neither.  
**Tsuna:** I'm not alone, there are Gokudera-kun and the others.  
**Kyoko:** Tsu-kun, there are so much problems and work, work and work. The only person with whom you can talk about anything but work it's me. And I want to be here to lighten the weight of your duties.

The man sighs, looking at the baby.

 **Kyoko:** I'll stay with her for a while, but I don't want to move to Namimori permanently. I want to be next to you too.

The woman paints a smile and he also smiles to her, leans towards her and his lips touch those of his wife in a tender kiss.

 **Kyoko:** And then ... Fortuna will be with her, right? It was a really nice present from you ...

The man glances at the cat that sleeps on the legs of the child.

 **Tsuna:** Yeah. But I don't want that she lives only with it or she could become like one of those old women surrounded only by cats ...

The woman giggles.

 **Kyoko:** I'm sure she will also have many friends.  
**Tsuna:** That's what I hope, from the bottom of my heart.  
**Kyoko:** And by the way ... Don't forget about Arina-chan!  
**Tsuna:** ... Arina-chan at the moment is really depressed. She also believes that it was her fault.  
**Kyoko:** They're both blaming themselves for what has happened.  
**Tsuna:** They shouldn't do that, what has happened has happened. Both have found themselves facing an insurmountable reality and they reacted instinctively. I'm sorry to have given too much pressure to Arina-chan, it was too much even for her.  
**Kyoko:** no, Tsu-kun. Arina-chan is very mature, even if only in some ways. But, after all, she is only fifteen. I'm sure she will improve a lot more, she's one of the best guides that Nozo-chan could ever have, as well as an important friend. It's a perfect tutor.  
**Tsuna:** ... a tutor, uh?

He paints a smile, remembering about Reborn.

 **Tsuna:** Anyway she'll go with her. They need both fresh air and a quiet place.  
**Kyoko:** I'm sure that she will take care of her.  
**Tsuna:** Yeah.

 

***

 

The day after, a plane had left Italy toward Japan.  
Sawada Nana welcomes her granddaughter with open arms, she hasn't seen her since last New Year's Eve and she knows that she will take care of her for the time to come.  
The child doesn't know what she's about to face, her gaze remains vacant for a few days.  
One thing, however, is certain.  
Arina has never abandoned her, despite everything.

 

_Vongola no Uta - END  
Continue in the Clover's Arc_

_Bonus_

 

 **Arashi:** Nee, Nozo ... is it true about the boss thing?  
**Nozomi:** Uh? Are you talking about the Vongola?  
**Arashi:** Yes, the thing about your becoming the head of the family!  
**Nozomi:** Of course it is! When papa will decide it, I will take his place!

The child climbs a wall, pirouetting.

 **Arashi:** Cool! Then you're like a princess who will become a queen!  
**Nozomi:** Uh ... not much, let's say that I'm something like a leader!

She bursts out laughing along with Arashi.

 **Arashi:** And can I be with you, when you'll be a queen?

The brunette looks at her, puzzled.

 **Nozomi:** You can stay with me as you want!  
**Arashi:** Can I be the one who is always close to you?  
**Nozomi:** So you can do my right hand woman!  
**Arashi:** What is a right hand woman?  
**Nozomi:** She's the one who is always close to the boss, her best friend, who always protects him... and she is also the second in command!  
**Arashi:** Yes, I like it! She's like a knight, right?  
**Nozomi:** A knight? ... Well, more or less, yes!  
**Arashi:** Well, it's cool!

The redhead looks very satisfied.

Two days later, the children leave the school and walk along the path towards their respective houses. They are smiling, walking hand in hand, and have just finished taking a class test widely used in primary schools.

 **Arashi:** Nee, Nozo. What have you written about your future?  
**Nozomi:** Oh, I said I will become the leader of a large organization that protects people and makes their dreams come true!  
**Arashi:** Ah! So no one understands what it is!  
**Nozomi:** And you? What did you write?  
**Arashi:** Mh ... it's secret!

The redhead jumps forward, turning to her friend behind her and winking.

 **Arashi:** Actually, I wrote that when I grow up I'll become Nozomi's knight.

The small child blushes, rolling her eyes.

 **Nozomi:** ... really?  
**Arashi:** Yes. I'll protect you from everything, I will always make you happy and I will never let you go.


End file.
